Room standards for overcrowding
This standard is used for measuring overcrowding and includes all habitable rooms except kitchen, bathrooms, hallways and attic conversions lower than a 5 foot ceiling height. When measuring rooms you must take into account bay windows, cupboard and chimney alcoves unless ceiling height is less than five foot, this would need to be measured from the 5 foot point (1.524m).
How people are counted in the standards
- babies under 12 months are 0 people
- children 1 to 10 years old are half a person
- anyone over 10 years old is 1 person
Overcrowding standard
View or download overcrowding standards (Word)
| Number of rooms | Number of people allowed |
|---|---|
| 1 | 2 |
| 2 | 3 |
| 3 | 5 |
| 4 | 7.5 |
| 5 or more | 2 per extra room |
Space standard
| Square metres of floor space | Number of people allowed |
|---|---|
| 10.2 square metres (110 square feet) or more | 2 |
| 8.36 to 10.2 square metres (90 to 110 square feet) | 1.5 |
| 6.5 to 8.36 square metres (70 to 90 square feet) | 1 |
| 4.66 to 6.5 square metres (50 to 70 square feet) | 0.5 |
| Less than 4.66 square metres (50 square feet) | 0 |
Gender overcrowding
No two people over 10 years old, of opposite sex, should have to sleep in the same room (unless living as a couple). This does not allow for couples to have a room to themselves; the standard would not be breached if the mother slept in the same room as the daughter and the father with the son.
Whichever standard allows the smallest number of occupiers should be used to determine the maximum number of occupants per dwelling.