Mixed sex children sharing rooms

Savvy_Sue

BTW, to clear up the point about 'regulations' on sharing in council houses.

If you're already in a property of a size where older children of the opposite gender are sharing (not sure what that age is), you may be given higher priority on whatever impenetrable system the council uses these days to decide who 'needs' the next house of a suitable size. AFAIK the council is NOT under any obligation to offer you a larger house at any stage, however overcrowded you may be.

If you have 2 older children of different genders in a small 1 bedroomed flat and think "Anything's got to be better than this" and apply for a 2 bedroomed house, then the council may NOT let that house to you, because you would continue to be overcrowded. The exception might be if it is a 'parlour' style house, ie two separate reception rooms, in which case they might say "You can use one of them as a bedroom". Indeed, they do use the separate reception room argument NOT to give higher priority to larger families in houses with few bedrooms. (No, I don't know where the children are supposed to play when they're not in bed either.)

What it boils down to is that the council or social landlord will not move you INTO a property where you would be technically overcrowded (which includes older children of different genders sharing), but if you're already in one, or you're privately renting, or an owner-occupier, there are no regulations which govern who sleeps where and with whom.