Square foot size of room for bedroom tax

mysterywoman10

Big-is-beautiful I totally agree. Also some Authorities/Housing Associations are going to down grade the size of their properties to try and get around it for housing stock that they know would not be suitable for families and they originally relet specifically to single people.

I have a legal friend looking at the sizing issue it isn't necessarily a no-goer but this isn't my area of knowledge. Anything anyone can do to fight this has got to be tried in my opinon.

Big_is_beautiful

mysterywoman10 wrote: »

Big-is-beautiful I totally agree. Also some Authorities/Housing Associations are going to down grade the size of their properties to try and get around it for housing stock that they know would not be suitable for families and they originally relet specifically to single people.

I have a legal friend looking at the sizing issue it isn't necessarily a no-goer but this isn't my area of knowledge. Anything anyone can do to fight this has got to be tried in my opinon.

Thank you, it seems that all is not lost then. I do genuinely feel that the size of the rooms does make a difference, you can't move the goal posts just because it suits.

The only thing that will happen is that where there are no smaller places available, people will be unable to pay their rent, eventually they will become evicted, then they will have to rehouse them, vicious circle.

I know that you don't qualify for housing if you make yourself deliberately homeless, but not having the money to pay is not a deliberate act is it.

I am anxious to see the first case relating to this come to court, the final decision will be interesting.

jadey145

I really don't think I can afford this bedroom tax. 2 year ago I moved from a two bedroom flat to a 3 bedroom house with the understanding that my children (boy age 5 and girl age 2) weren't allowed to share a room, so I moved here decorated it to how I wanted it now the council are saying my two children now have to share a room and pay bedroom tax or move back into smaller housing or get a lodger in. I can't even afford to move again and there isn't much housing on offer either. My partner works 24hr so we pay part of are rent anyway and struggle with that so god knows what we are going to do once they add the bedroom tax I really do hope this box room is right because my small room only just fits a single bed

chinagirl

What happens when a family rent a 2 bedroom house, but subsequently divide the largest room into 2, then making it a 3 bedroom house. I wonder which way the axe would fall in this case??

evenasus

chinagirl wrote: »

What happens when a family rent a 2 bedroom house, but subsequently divide the largest room into 2, then making it a 3 bedroom house. I wonder which way the axe would fall in this case??

Would this largest room have two windows?

cockaleekee

Big_is_beautiful wrote: »

I find your attitude strange as well, it always amazes me how when someone tries to offer some useful information there is always a do gooder who knows a little about every thing and a lot about nothing who know better.

I have since been told that the local council in a certain area are taking up the issue, so it would appear as though it depends on individual councils whether they accept that people have a case.

I don't much care whether you find my attitude strange or not, at least I am offering some information of some value however small.

There is no issue to take up, as I have already stated the LA can set their own definition as to what constitutes a bedroom - they may use 70 sq ft as a size boundary, equally they may use 50 sq ft, or they may not apply a size criteria at all. It is up to them, the information you have quoted is irrelevant.

mysterywoman10

jadey145 wrote: »

I really don't think I can afford this bedroom tax. 2 year ago I moved from a two bedroom flat to a 3 bedroom house with the understanding that my children (boy age 5 and girl age 2) weren't allowed to share a room, so I moved here decorated it to how I wanted it now the council are saying my two children now have to share a room and pay bedroom tax or move back into smaller housing or get a lodger in. I can't even afford to move again and there isn't much housing on offer either. My partner works 24hr so we pay part of are rent anyway and struggle with that so god knows what we are going to do once they add the bedroom tax I really do hope this box room is right because my small room only just fits a single bed

Well at the time they would have quite easily have been able to share a room the rules for under 10's have always been there when it comes to allocating housing as well So you were realtively lucky to get a 3 bed with children that age.

The box room may possibly apply in this case particularly if the rest of the house is open plan downstairs? Does it have two separate reception rooms (excluding kithcen)? I know £14 sounds a lot to loose when you are on a very tight budget and I know it does not help you but people in the same situation in the private sector have lost much more in housing benefit since the cuts last year. Even if they are in a 2 bed with 2 children sharing they have had cuts in their rent allowance.

mysterywoman10

cockaleekee wrote: »

There is no issue to take up, as I have already stated the LA can set their own definition as to what constitutes a bedroom - they may use 70 sq ft as a size boundary, equally they may use 50 sq ft, or they may not apply a size criteria at all. It is up to them, the information you have quoted is irrelevant.

I disagree I think there is possibly an argument to be made in some circumstances. The rules on overcrowding are fairly clear.

http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/repairs_and_bad_conditions/home_safety/overcrowding

It wouldn't be an argument in all cases though. You can't count a bedroom as a bedroom if it is under 50 sq. ft. so if you have an openplan lounge/kitchen and one bedroom plus a very small bedroom how can it count as being habitable?

mysterywoman10

Jadey in your case the room would count as a half if it is over 50 sq ft and would be ok for a child under 10. So best thing to do is measure it.

Also check the size of the other child's bedroom because if they were sharing in theory it would need to be 70 - 89 sq ft for one person both children would count as a 1/2 each making one.

cockaleekee

mysterywoman10 wrote: »

I disagree I think there is possibly an argument to be made in some circumstances. The rules on overcrowding are fairly clear.

http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/repairs_and_bad_conditions/home_safety/overcrowding

It wouldn't be an argument in all cases though. You can't count a bedroom as a bedroom if it is under 50 sq. ft. so if you have an openplan lounge/kitchen and one bedroom plus a very small bedroom how can it count as being habitable?

You could use it as support towards an argument where you do have a very small room, but the LA could choose to follow a different line of reasoning for the simple fact that this definition is not directly applicable to this measure.

It is as simple as that - the definition of a bedroom is entirely at the discretion of the LA.