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Standards for houses in multiple occupation (HMOs)

Last updated: 1 April 2020 Printable version: Standards in Houses of Multiple Occupation (pdf, 770.7 KB)

5. Bathroom and toilet facilities

Each occupancy shall be provided, where practicable, with a bath or shower, a toilet and wash hand basin in a separate room. Where this is not practicable, provision of washing facilities and sanitary conveniences shall be on the following scale:

1 to 4 persons sharing

One bathroom containing a bath or shower, and wash hand basin.

One toilet which may be provided in the bathroom or a separate compartment, with a wash hand basin.

5 persons sharing

One bathroom containing a bath or shower, and wash hand basin.

One toilet with wash hand basin which must be in a separate compartment to the washing facilities.

6 to 10 persons sharing

Two bathrooms containing a bath or shower and wash hand basin.

Two toilets, at least one of which must be in a separate compartment with a wash hand basin.

11 to 15 persons sharing

Three bathrooms containing a bath or shower and a wash hand basin.

Three toilets, at least one of which must be in a separate compartment with a wash hand basin.

5.1 Toilet facilities

Each separate toilet compartment shall be provided with a suitable wash hand basin with both constant hot and cold water and a suitable splash back of at least 300mm. External toilets shall be ignored.

5.2 Bath and shower facilities

A splash back of a minimum height of 300mm is to be provided to the bath. The bath/shower must be equipped with taps providing an adequate supply of cold and constant hot water. Any shower shall have fully tiled walls or a complete self-standing cubicle.

5.3 Wash hand basins

Where there are five or more occupiers of an HMO, the local authority may require that every unit of living accommodation contains a wash hand basin with an adequate supply of cold and constant hot water.

5.4 General

All bath rooms and toilets in an HMO must be suitably located in, or in relation to the living accommodation in the HMO.

Any toilet, bathroom or shower room which is intended to be shared by two or more households should be accessible from a common area (passageway or hallway).

The walls and floor of any toilet, bathroom or shower room shall be reasonably smooth and non-absorbent and capable of being readily cleansed.

In addition to these requirements:

  • all bathrooms in an HMO must be suitably and adequately heated and ventilated
  • all bathrooms and toilets in an HMO must be of adequate size and layout
  • all baths, toilets and wash hand basins in an HMO must be fit for the purpose
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