Rules re listing bedrooms

Albermarle

Grumpy_chap said:

Khaderbhai said:

Yes ideally, test the smoke alarms regularly but get your point. How many people actually know there house inside out though once a bedroom has been signed off? If you’re not a ‘tradey’ would you know if you had a fire door or if it was just installed to get building regs sign off and then removed at a later date to a non-fire door for example, how often do people get smoke alarms tested once they are signed off, probably never?!

Probably quite a few have the fire alarms properly tested to a proper schedule.

For our loft conversion to get Building Control sign off, we had to have a mains powered fire alarm with remote monitoring / dial out to the Fire Brigade.  
Our home insurance requires that the system is serviced annually.

For our loft conversion, only mains linked smoke alarms were needed. No remote monitoring, no link to fire brigade, no mention on home insurance. I test them myself by pressing the test buttons.
Is this difference because ours was done about 15 years ago and the rules have changed? Or was there a specific reason you had a fire alarm system rather than just smoke alarms ?

Grumpy_chap

Albermarle said:

For our loft conversion, only mains linked smoke alarms were needed. No remote monitoring, no link to fire brigade, no mention on home insurance. I test them myself by pressing the test buttons.
Is this difference because ours was done about 15 years ago and the rules have changed? Or was there a specific reason you had a fire alarm system rather than just smoke alarms ?

I just followed the requirements as I was advised were necessary to satisfy Building Regulations.  I trust I was advised correctly.

Another requirement that I do know was a requirement of Building Regulations was for a rope escape ladder to be fixed in place to effect exit from the front roof window.  When the Council Building Regulations Inspector did the final sign off visit, it was refused on a couple of points and the escape ladder was one of them specifically identified.  We had a ladder installed and fixed into place.  Once it was reinspected, that ladder was removed.

sheramber

My son bought a flat with  a 'loft bedroom' that was not signed off.( nor was legal as it accessed by a ladder in a kitchen cupboard. )  It was used by a bedroomby the seller.  No idea how they got a double bed up there.

It was valued as  1 bedroom.

He used the loft space for office space and storage.

He sold it as 1 bedroom with the loft space  explained.   

The buyers were happy with the position.

theartfullodger

hazyjo said:

theartfullodger said:

See the overcrowding section on Shelter's website which gives minimum sizes for double, single and 1/2 person (child under 10) bedrooms.

Amazing how many "experts" and estate/letting agents claim to have no knowledge of these regulations.

Best wishes to all.

Thought they only applied to rentals/council/HA properties?

Nope: Applies to owner-occupiers etc etc also.  And occupants/owner can be fined if overcrowded (by legal definitions). Quite right too IMHO, but sadly rarely happens..

silvercar

theartfullodger said:

See the overcrowding section on Shelter's website which gives minimum sizes for double, single and 1/2 person (child under 10) bedrooms.

Amazing how many "experts" and estate/letting agents claim to have no knowledge of these regulations.

Best wishes to all.

But living rooms, lounges, even kitchens count as rooms ie potential bedrooms.