Are the number of Bedrooms officially documented?

eddddy

A mortgage lender will send an RICS valuer to value the property.

Here's how the RICS define a bedroom:

What is a bedroom?

There is no statutory definition of the term 'bedroom' in the UK. The term is used to describe a room used for sleeping in and where you would expect to find a bed or other such piece of furniture designed for sleeping on.

...

An indicator that a room can be used as a bedroom could be that at least a small single bed will fit into it, and in most cases it will have a window, although there is no legal requirement.

Link: https://www.ricsfirms.com/glossary/what-is-a-bedroom/

If you get a bedroom based insurance policy, you should carefully read the insurers definition of a bedroom.

GoCompare say:

Bedrooms

Your home insurance company will ask how many bedrooms you have in your property to see what size your home is. A bedroom is generally defined as a room either originally designed for sleeping in (even if now used for other purposes), or later converted for sleeping in. For example, a house extended by loft conversion into a bedroom would increase its total number of bedrooms.

Link: https://www.gocompare.com/insurance/insurance-jargon-buster/#b

Sea_Shell

Go Compare are not insurers though, they are a comparison site. Make sure you check with the actual insurer you intend to go (or are already) with, as their underwriting terms may differ.

AdrianC

Walk round the house, and count how many rooms have beds in. That's the number of bedrooms there are.

Yes, it is that simple...

trailingspouse

We bought our house as a 4-bed, but I recently came across the agent's details from when it was sold back in the 1990's - and it was described as having 5 bedrooms!! The 5th bedroom would have been tiny - it's now just part of the landing, and literally just has a very small sofa and a bookcase in it, there's no way you could get a single bed in the space.



And to complicate matters further, I only have two of the bedrooms as bedrooms - of the other two 'bedrooms', one is an office and the other is a sitting room up in the attic.

shortcrust

Are the number of Bedrooms officially documented?

No.

When it comes to value people will look at the available space and rooms that could be bedrooms. For insurance, as AdrianC says, you simply count the number of rooms that have beds.

Sea_Shell

shortcrust wrote: »

No.

When it comes to value people will look at the available space and rooms that could be bedrooms. For insurance, as AdrianC says, you simply count the number of rooms that have beds.

I have to disagree here...

We live in a "standard" 4 bed house. We only have a bed in 1 bedroom. The others are used for other purposes. Are you seriously suggesting I should buy insurance on the basis of having one BEDROOM!!? Yeah, that'll work!!

artyclarty

deannatrois wrote: »

There are many many originally 3 bed council houses with double receptions, as originally built, that the council now calls 4 bed houses (one of the reception rooms being now defined as a bedroom) so they can fit larger families into them.

If the council can change room types, I don't see why other people should be prevented doing the same thing.

Just to be the exception that proves the rule: our former council house was built in the late 40s as a 4 bed.


It wasn't until the late 70s that they converted the bedroom above the kitchen into a bathroom. Until then it was the outside netty and a tin bath in the back yard (or dining room if snowing)! Means our house has a bigger bathroom than 3rd bedroom. Its huge!

shortcrust

Sea_Shell wrote: »

I have to disagree here...

We live in a "standard" 4 bed house. We only have a bed in 1 bedroom. The others are used for other purposes. Are you seriously suggesting I should buy insurance on the basis of having one BEDROOM!!? Yeah, that'll work!!

Yes of course, you're quite right. I must be suffering from a lack of imagination this morning!

AdrianC

Sea_Shell wrote: »

I have to disagree here...

We live in a "standard" 4 bed house. We only have a bed in 1 bedroom. The others are used for other purposes. Are you seriously suggesting I should buy insurance on the basis of having one BEDROOM!!? Yeah, that'll work!!

Just shows why getting fixated on the number of bedrooms is ridiculous.

You have a bed in one room? You have one bedroom. There's a clue in the name.

You have numerous offices and studies, otoh. If an insurer asked how many rooms there were...

p00hsticks

shortcrust wrote: »

For insurance, as AdrianC says, you simply count the number of rooms that have beds.

I don't think I've come across insurance that actually asks for the number of bedrooms. I'm pretty sure when I was last looking around for quotes that what was required was the total number of rooms, excluding bathrooms, toilets and kitchen.