lodgers and cooking on the landing

travelodger

I've searched the net in vain for an answer to this, so thought I would ask on here.

I have two lodgers on the top floor of my 3 storey house. On the top landing is a small kitchenette with cabinets, sink, fridge, kettle, toaster. I supplied these to save lodgers having to come all the way down to the ground floor just to make a cuppa or their breakfast before leaving for work. Later a small microwave was added so that ready meals could be heated, again for their convenience. I have always emphasised to every new lodger that there is no cooker in the kitchenette, but they have unrestricted use of the fully-equipped ground floor kitchen.

Lately however, the lodgers have introduced an air fryer and a plug-in electric hob and are now cooking ALL of their meals on the landing. The long worktop which used to be mainly clear for meal prep, holding only a small dish draining rack and the smallest of microwaves, is now crowded  from one end to the other with large appliances, and to be honest, I don't like it.

The plug in hob is right at the end of the run, right by the stair well, with no barrier to stop, say, a pan of boiling water being knocked and plummeting down the stairs. There is no extractor in the kitchenette, only a small sash window on the dogleg some 12 feet from where they are cooking, and that window is kept closed all the time except on the hottest summer days.

I have added a photo to show the position of the window to the kitchenette and how crowded the worktop now is, and how close to the edge the hob is.

I know that if I tell the lodgers to get rid of the hob and airfryer this will cause discontent and I was wondering if there was a law against it, which I could cite, coward that I am, so that I don't "look like the baddie" by making their lives harder.

Tabieth

I’ve no idea if there’s a law or not (I don’t know what health and safety legislation applies to lodgers). But I’d just tell them to get rid of them. It’s your home, your rules. 

GrumpyDil

Your house, your rules (within reason). In this case I would say you are unhappy with what they are doing and they need to reign it in.  

If you can't get an agreed position give them notice and be clear on the rules for any replacement.

sammyjammy

But you already told them the rules and they've ignored you, I'd confiscate the items and only return them if they promise to conform, if they do it again I'd evict.  

If there were a fire on this landing blocking the stairs and they were in their rooms how would they escape?

user1977

Not sure that the latest additions make a particular difference, I doubt it was a smart idea to put a kitchen with appliances within a 3-storey staircase. The correct legal answer might be to get rid of everything - I doubt it would comply with building regulations as a new installation.

travelodger

Thanks to all three who replied so far. Sammy they would be trapped or have to walk through the hallway to access the stairs.

So my next question is, in your opinion is it OK to have a kettle, toaster and microwave there? These have been there for 25 years since my first lodgers moved in. 

Marmaduke123

I would write to them formally so there can be no misunderstanding, stating no cooking on the 3rd floor, either on the landing or in their rooms. If you wish you could cite the fire risk and the fact that there is only one exit.

Eldi_Dos

Tell them you are concerned that these new appliances may be more than the electrics are designed for and say what appliances you are happy with them using there.

The only problem with that is they might start cooking in their rooms?

glennevis

I can't comment on the H&S aspects with any authority.

I would have a vertical panel of a decent height (50cm?) at the end of the worktop. It's not just about cooking apparatus taking a dive, what if a bag of shopping fell on its side and the contents spilled out down the stairs.

As for cooking appliances, you could adopt the approach I saw in a campsite I visited recently which provided a kettle and toaster in the service block. In order to prevent use of campers' own mains appliances, the appliances were hard wired into switched faceplates with grommets - no plug to remove. You can just see one of the grommets in this (very enlarged) photo 


Of course that would mean you would have to engage an electrician in the first place to install the faceplates and wire in the appliances. And you would have to decide what to provide and maintain them.

Not always wise to quote "the law" unless your current installation is compliant with any legislation. For example an electrician might have something to say about the minimum distance required between the sink and sockets.

theartfullodger

Evict them. (? Which country - NI, Wales, Scotland??) ?? One at least gives lodgers tenant protection).

And re-draft your lodger agreement to make clear what is permitted re cooking or anything els risky (flames, electric heaters etc etc etc..)

Not worth running the risks (probably excluded by your property insurance policy).

No way as a landlord (since 2000/..) would allow cooking on a landing.