PROPERTY CONDITION CHECK LIST FOR A LICENCED HMO

Transcription

1 PROPERTY CONDITION CHECK LIST FOR A LICENCED HMO Address of property:... Inspection date:... No of bedrooms desired: Minimum Bedroom Sizes Depending On Communal Space Bedrooms If the property has a communal living room 1) Must have a window 2) Ensure the bedroom can fit a bed, chest of draws and wardrobe (unless there is a built in wardrobe) 3) Must be a minimum of 6.5m2 in size. 4) If a loft room with a sloping ceiling, the minimum floor to ceiling height must be 1.5m 5) Single bedroom Double bedroom Bedrooms If the property does not have a communal living room and the communal space is only a kitchen or a kitchen/dining room 6) Must have a window 7) Ensure the bedroom can fit a bed, chest of draws and wardrobe (unless there is a built in wardrobe) 8) Must be a minimum of 10m2 in size. 9) If a loft room with a sloping ceiling, the minimum floor to ceiling height must be 1.5m 10) Double bedroom

2 2. Kitchen Kitchen Size 11) Wall to wall the kitchen has to be a minimum of 7m2 12) For each occupant in excess of 6, and additional 1.0m2 per person is required up to a maximum of 13m2 13) The room must have an externally vented extraction system. 14) If the kitchen does not meet the standard with regard to space, consideration may be taken into account and the Council HMO team should be contacted. Kitchen Requirements Sink and Drainer 15) 1 sink and drainer is needed for up to 6 people. 16) More than 6 people, additional sinks must be provided in a ratio of 1:6 persons. 17) If the kitchen doesn t allow to have 2 sinks due to space, a dishwasher may be considered in replacement of one of the sinks. In this instance, contact the Council HMO officer. Food Storage minimum requirements 18) A 500m base unit is needed per 2 people 19) If the kitchen accommodates wall cabinets, each 500m wall cabinet is suitable per 1 person 20) Storage below sinks will not count towards this figure Refrigerated Storage 21) A fridge must have a minimum capacity of 150 litres for up to 6 people

3 22) Additional capacity should be provided in a ratio of 20 litres per person 23) Unless a separate freezer is provided, the fridge must have a freezer compartment. 24) For Licenced HMO properties that have more than 6 people, a solution of supplying an American Fridge Freezer (depending on capacity) or 3 fridges would be an option Food Preparation and Cooking 25) Oven, grill and 4 burner hob should be provided for 5-6 persons. 26) The cooking facilities should be position away from doorways. 27) When there are more than 6 people, an additional cooking facility must be provided, which may be a microwave oven. 28) If the HMO accommodates more than 12 people, additional arrangements need to be made than listed above. 29) A preparation surface of 1.5 linear metres needs to be provided for a HMO of up to 3-6 people. 30) For between 7-12 persons, 3 linear metres are required. 31) Electrical sockets must be sufficient to facilitate the use of each fixed appliance plus two double socket outlets. 32) A suitable bin must be provided for the storage of refuse prior to disposal.

4 3. Bathroom and Toilet Facilities The following table outlines the bathing and toilet facilities required in licensable HMOs (the number of facilities is dependant upon the number of occupants).the minimum requirements are: Number of persons sharing 1 bathroom with WC 1 bathroom and separate WC 2 bathrooms (one with a WC) 2 bathrooms (both with WC) 2 bathrooms (one with a WC) and a separate WC 2 bathrooms and 2 separate WC s 3 bathrooms (1 containing a WC) and 2 separate WC s 5 X 6 to 10 X X X X 11 to 15 X X X X X X Bathroom and Toilet Requirements Baths and Showers 33) Adequately heated 34) Ventilated 35) Fitted with a locking mechanism Toilets 36) Must contain a wash hand basin 37) Ventilated 38) Fitted with a locking mechanism

5 4. Property Exterior Doors 39) The front door must be fitted with a suitable viewer where the door is not fitted with a transparent glass panel. 40) The front door must have a suitable security chain. 41) The door must be capable of being opened from the inside without the use of a key. (Thumb turn locks are therefore needed on these doors). 42) The rear door is to be fitted with a barrel bolt (200mm min) unless the door is fitted with a shoot bolt locking mechanism (3 or 5 point locking). Interior Doors 43) Locks must be fitted to bedroom doors and they must be capable of being opened from inside the room without the use of a key to facilitate escape in the case of fire. (Thumb turn locks are therefore needed on these doors). 44) Locks on room doors and any other door leading from the unit of accommodation onto the protected route of escape and the final exit door(s) must be capable of being opened from the inside without the use of keys. Hasp and staple/padlock type of fastening to bedroom doors are not permitted. 45) Fire doors must be fitted to all habitable rooms, kitchens and rooms containing gas burning appliances (Ensuite and bathrooms are not included in this). 46) Each fire door set must comprise a 30 minute fire door hung on three high melt point hinges and fitted with intumescent strips and cold smoke seals. 47) The exception to this is the kitchen door where the cold smoke seals should be omitted. 48) All fire doors must fit correctly into the doorframe and be fitted with a closer that is adequate for the size and weight of the door, adjusted to

6 ensure that the door closes smoothly and quietly into the rebate of the doorframe overcoming an appropriate latching device 49) Where glazing panels are fitted in or above doors or in walls they must be capable of providing at least the same fire resistance as the surrounding material. Ceiling 50) A half hour fire resisting ceiling must separate any accommodation from the floor above. Where upgrading is necessary the application of 12.5mm plasterboard (using long reach screws) and 3mm skim coat will provide the necessary fire resistance. Polystyrene tiles MUST be removed from ceilings. Walls 51) Every wall, which forms part of the protected route of escape and between units of accommodation, must be half hour fire resisting. Where upgrading is necessary the application of 12.5mm plasterboard (using long reach screws) and 3mm skim coat to the risk side will provide the necessary fire resistance. Windows 52) All ground floor windows must have window locks and be readily available at all times. Cupboard 53) Any cupboard on the means of escape must not be used for the storage of combustible materials unless it is fitted with a 30 minute fire door hung on three high melt point hinges and fitted with intumescent strips and the door kept closed. Doors to cupboards do not require a self-closing device or cold smoke seals. 54) Under stairs cupboards containing electric/gas meters or used to store flammable goods must be capable of providing 30 minutes fire resistance to the means of escape. Heating 55) Heating must be provided in each bedroom and communal room. 56) Each radiator must have a way of turning it up or down. 57) Heating must be permanent and fixed portable heaters are not acceptable.

7 House Alarm 58) If the property has a house alarm, the key holder details need to be logged with the Councils Environment & Noise Team. Heat/Smoke Detector 59) In properties which use a single unit to house the heat/smoke detector, sounder and back up battery, the system must comply with BS 5839: Part , grade D. The units must be interlinked to ensure that sounders will operate throughout the premises. The detection system must be permanently wired to a circuit. The mains supply to the units should take the form of either: 60) An independent circuit at the main distribution board OR 61) A separately electrically protected, regularly used lighting circuit. 62) Smoke/heat detectors and sounders must be fitted in the locations indicated in the diagrams in Appendix A and in accordance with the appropriate British Standard 63) Where panel type detection is provided then the system must comply with BS 5839: Part (as amended). 64) Emergency lighting may be required if the protected escape route is not provided with adequate background lighting, either natural or borrowed from street lighting, to ensure the safe movement to the final exit door(s). Where emergency lighting is provided it must comply with BS5266 Part 1, ) A small fire blanket (to BS EN 1869:1977) and a 1 kg multi-purpose fire extinguisher (to BS EN 3:1996) should be provided in each kitchen. N.B. Fire fighting equipment must be maintained in accordance with BS 5306: Part 3: ) If the layout of the property does not conform to the standard layouts in Appendix A, you must ensure that a suitable fire detection

8 system is installed and a protected route to a final exit door is provided. This must incorporate half hour fire resisting walls and ceilings, fire doors and a suitable fire detection system. Advice on means of compliance may be obtained from the HMO team. Health and Safety Left On Site in a predominate position 67) The Landlord must provide adequate fire safety instructions and they must be brought to the attention of all tenants and must be kept available for inspection at the premises. A copy should be included with the application to satisfy the Management Arrangements. 68) A Fire Precautions log book (obtainable from must be used to record the periodic inspection and maintenance of the fire alarm system, fire fighting equipment and where applicable emergency lighting. It should be maintained and kept available for inspection at the premises. If the property is to be left untenanted for 4 weeks or longer, the systems and equipment must be checked before tenants take up occupancy and always before re-letting the accommodation. 69) A CP12 Certificate of Gas Safety inspection must be provided where gas is used in the property. All gas appliances must be serviced on a regular basis. 70) Electrical Certificates

9 Appendix -A Example of a typical layout and requirements for fire precautions

10 Appendix -B Example of a typical layout and requirements for fire precautions in an upper maisonette