Rented property law?

[Chris Wilson]

Anyone up to date on this? Assured short term lease, detached house let as one unit, can you have the toilet / bathroom directly off what is currently the kitchen?

 

If a staircase has been in ten years plus, but has no bannister on one side, and drops directly towards a double glazed window, with no barrier protection over said window, will it need altering in order to legally rent it out?

 

Thanks.

[GLENN STONEHAM]

The answer to the first point is YES. Quite some years ago a wc had to be seperated from a kitchen by a vented lobby or seperate bathroom such that there were 2 doors between loo & kitchen. However a change in the Building Regs unusually relaxed this rule. The B/WC should be vented ie openable window or a vent etc.

 

Question 2. As I see it there are no specific rental law regs covering this sort of matter. Annual gas safety checks / cert. are required by law for residential lets & if a property is in multi occupation ie bed sits then there are many more regs to comply with especially concerning fire proofing & escape.

However if you consider that the unprotected stairs area is a definate potential hazard then its best to eliminate the problem to avoid possible private prosecution in the event of an accident.Especially important where children / elderly may use the stairs.

Glenn

[Charlotte]

The answer to the first point is YES. Quite some years ago a wc had to be seperated from a kitchen by a vented lobby or seperate bathroom such that there were 2 doors between loo & kitchen. However a change in the Building Regs unusually relaxed this rule. The B/WC should be vented ie openable window or a vent etc.

 

I thought that it was ok if you had a sink in the bathroom/toilet - so that people weren't using the kitchen one.

 

Question 2. As I see it there are no specific rental law regs covering this sort of matter. Annual gas safety checks / cert. are required by law for residential lets & if a property is in multi occupation ie bed sits then there are many more regs to comply with especially concerning fire proofing & escape.

However if you consider that the unprotected stairs area is a definate potential hazard then its best to eliminate the problem to avoid possible private prosecution in the event of an accident.Especially important where children / elderly may use the stairs.

Glenn

 

http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/assuredassured

 

Have a look here, it should tell you about the banister. I would have thought it would need to be done though.

[GLENN STONEHAM]

http://www.communities.gov.uk/public...assuredassured

 

Have a look here, it should tell you about the banister. I would have thought it would need to be done though.

 

It doesnt deal with detailed components of a building . Theres just mention of the gas / elec safety concerns for obvious reasons & touches on the fire hazard issues as I said earlier.Other articles available from tha same web site focus more specifically on the other rental property issues, the most recent important one being the law introduced last April governing the tenancy deposit scheme.

If a private landlord does not comply with this (and especially an agent) there are some serious penalties.

That aside I repeat my answers to your 2 original questions Chris.

[Chris Wilson]

Thanks Glenn and Charlotte, excellent info and link, appreciated. At least the kitchen doesn't have to be moved, albeit it's far from ideal, this "project" will be on a tight budget if it comes off at all!