The Licensing and Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation and Other Houses (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Wales) Regulations 2006

Regulation 8

SCHEDULE 3 PRESCRIBED STANDARDS FOR DECIDING ON THE SUITABILITY FOR OCCUPATION OF AN HMO BY A PARTICULAR MAXIMUM NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS OR PERSONS

Heating

1.  Each unit of living accommodation in an HMO must be equipped with adequate means of space heating.

Washing facilities

2.—(1) Where all or some of the units of living accommodation in an HMO do not contain bathing and toilet facilities for the exclusive use of each individual household—

(a) where there are four or fewer occupiers sharing those facilities there must be at least one bathroom with a fixed bath or shower and a toilet (which may be situated in the bathroom);

(b) where there are five or more occupiers sharing those facilities there must be —

(i) one separate toilet with wash hand basin with appropriate splash back for every five sharing occupiers; and

(ii) at least one bathroom (which may contain a toilet) with a fixed bath or shower for every five sharing occupiers.

(2) All baths, showers and wash hand basins in an HMO must be equipped with taps providing an adequate supply of cold and constant hot water.

(3) All bathrooms in an HMO must be suitably and adequately heated and ventilated.

(4) All bathrooms and toilets in an HMO must be of an adequate size and layout.

(5) All baths, toilets and wash hand basins in an HMO must be fit for the purpose.

(6) All bathrooms and toilets in an HMO must be suitably located in or in relation to the living accommodation in the HMO.

Kitchens

3.  Where all or some of the units of accommodation within the HMO do not contain any facilities for the cooking of food—

(a) there must be a kitchen, suitably located in relation to the living accommodation, and of such layout and size and equipped with such facilities, so as to adequately enable those sharing the facilities to store, prepare and cook food;

(b) the kitchen must be equipped with the following equipment, which must be fit for the purpose and supplied in a sufficient quantity for the number of those sharing the facilities—

(i) sinks with draining boards;

(ii) an adequate supply of cold and constant hot water to each sink supplied;

(iii) installations or equipment for the cooking of food;

(iv) electrical sockets;

(v) worktops for the preparation of food;

(vi) cupboards for the storage of food or kitchen and cooking utensils;

(vii) refrigerators with an adequate freezer compartment (or, where the freezer compartment is not adequate, adequate separate freezers);

(viii) appropriate refuse disposal facilities; and

(ix) appropriate extractor fans, fire blankets and fire doors.

Units of living accommodation without shared basic amenities

4.—(1) Where a unit of living accommodation contains kitchen facilities for the exclusive use of the individual household, and there are no other kitchen facilities available for that household, that unit must be provided with—

(a) adequate appliances and equipment for the cooking of food;

(b) a sink with an adequate supply of cold and constant hot water;

(c) a work top for the preparation of food;

(d) sufficient electrical sockets;

(e) a cupboard for the storage of kitchen utensils and crockery; and

(f) a refrigerator.

(2) Where no adequate shared washing facilities are provided for a unit of living accommodation as mentioned in paragraph 2, an enclosed and adequately laid out and ventilated room with a toilet and bath or fixed shower supplying adequate cold and constant hot water must be provided for the exclusive use of the occupiers of that unit either—

(a) within the living accommodation; or

(b) within reasonable proximity to the living accommodation.

Fire precautionary facilities

5.  Appropriate fire precaution facilities and equipment must be provided of such type, number and location as is considered necessary.