Are bedsits illegal?

BeerFear

I'm currently renting a bedsit. There are 6 bedsit flats in the house. Everyone has their own bathroom but must go into the hallway to use their own bathroom. Sink, cooker, bed are all in one room. Landlord said there is someone coming to view the property to see if it rent worthy from council and if not he might needs to change one of the renting rooms to a kitchen and would need to move out for two weeks while the renovations are done. Are bedsits illegal? Don't really want to stay in a travel lodge place for two weeks.

L1011

I believe that a separate bathroom is still legal once it is for one flat *only*. I'm fairly sure that the shared kitchen the LL is suggesting is however illegal.

http://www.threshold.ie/download/pdf/minimum_standards_feb_2013.pdf is Threshold's interpretation of the law, http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/pdf/2008/en.si.2008.0534.pdf is the actual law if you want to read it.

BeerFear

I think he plans on having it as a house instead of flats, it's really just bedrooms with a cooker oven and fridge in an old enough house

L1011

Renting to separate tenants as a house is problematic, I can't see any LL wanting to go down that route.

If he does, I would expect to pay a significantly reduced rent as a house sharer rather than a direct tenant of a flat even if nothing else changed - as that's what any replacement tenant would expect to pay.

If the reason the council inspector is coming out is due to someone on rent allowance, the amount allowed will drop hugely for that tenant also - the difference is €170 a month between a single person living alone and a single person sharing in Dublin City / DLR / SDCC for instance.

foggy_lad

MYOB wrote: »

I believe that a separate bathroom is still legal once it is for one flat *only*. I'm fairly sure that the shared kitchen the LL is suggesting is however illegal.

http://www.threshold.ie/download/pdf/minimum_standards_feb_2013.pdf is Threshold's interpretation of the law, http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/pdf/2008/en.si.2008.0534.pdf is the actual law if you want to read it.

Afaik the bathroom must be for the sole use of the occupant and is not allowed be in a shared area of the property or down a hallway which other residents have access.

BeerFear

foggy_lad wrote: »

Afaik the bathroom must be for the sole use of the occupant and is not allowed be a shared area of the property or down a hallway which oout r residents have access.

Yea he mentioned this as well. Looks Like he Is going go be turning it Info a house share where i presume these Type of bathrooms are okay?

Will probably Hand in notice i think if renovating couldnt be bothered stayin in house share and sharing with 4 randomers if has to go down that route.

LL kicked out tenant who was behind on rent illegally and is now in ****eas well. Think this is how it has all started.

Grandpa Hassan

foggy_lad wrote: »

Afaik the bathroom must be for the sole use of the occupant and is not allowed be in a shared area of the property or down a hallway which other residents have access.

But how is that different to separately renting out rooms in a house? There are multiple occupants, each with their own tenancy agreement, but with a bathroom effectively in a shared area of the house, down the hallway. I rented my house on that basis for a few months a while back

ted1

foggy_lad wrote: »

Afaik the bathroom must be for the sole use of the occupant and is not allowed be in a shared area of the property or down a hallway which other residents have access.

So the ability to walk naked to the bathroom rule would apply

BryanF

Are bedsits illegal?
They are if they don't have proper planning and a fire cert. anyone renting a bedsit should expect to see things like fire exit signs, fire alarm system ( more than just smoke detector ) and fire doors on escapes routes etc.

suds1984

I rent a room in a houseshare, where all my housemates have individual leases with the landlord. What rights would I have if had a dispute with landlord in relation to getting repairs done in the house?

Mrs OBumble

MYOB wrote: »

Renting to separate tenants as a house is problematic, I can't see any LL wanting to go down that route.

If he does, I would expect to pay a significantly reduced rent as a house sharer rather than a direct tenant of a flat.

Lots of landlords already do go down that route: it's effectively what happens when the landlord lets bedrooms and access to shared facilities to individual tenants, rather than letting the whole house to one tenant and having them responsible for choosing their own housemates (usually with the LL having to give their blessing to the selected housemates too).

And what the OP's LL is proposing is the unfortunate side effect of the law that made non-ensuite bedsits illegal plus the heritage requirements which mean that certain buildings cannot be structurally changed. It's the only way they can keep using the buildings for accommodation.

And while the rent is significantly less than the rent for the whole house (a room in a 3-brm house costs less per room than a 1-brm house) - it's often more than the rent for a bedsit (where the tenant was sacrificing access to a separate living room for the cheaper cost).

I know a few people who are unhappy about what their landlords have been forced to do, because they personally were happier with the previous arrangements. Now they have to either shell out the far-greater cost for a 1bm apartment, or house-share with randomers.

garhjw

BryanF wrote: »

Are bedsits illegal?
They are if they don't have proper planning and a fire cert. anyone renting a bedsit should expect to see things like fire exit signs, fire alarm system ( more than just smoke detector ) and fire doors on escapes routes etc.

There is your answer.

My father is currently updating a Georgian house that is split into flats and bedsits ( fancier if you call them studios!!)

Fire proofing, smoke alarm, fire system, fire proofing in common areas etc. expensive work but needs to be done. I would also say the majority of properties, especially older building are not up to regulation

Mrs OBumble

garhjw wrote: »

There is your answer.

My father is currently updating a Georgian house that is split into flats and bedsits ( fancier if you call them studios!!)

Fire proofing, smoke alarm, fire system, fire proofing in common areas etc. expensive work but needs to be done. I would also say the majority of properties, especially older building are not up to regulation

I'm not sure that is the whole story, though.

AFAIK, betsits without their own bathroom are now illegal.

And only buildings with over X units in them need the extensive fire-proofing etc - I don't know X is, but am sure that the rules for buildings with lots of units are different from the rules for buildings with only 2 or 3.

BryanF

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

And only buildings with over X units in them need the extensive fire-proofing etc - I don't know X is, but am sure that the rules for buildings with lots of units are different from the rules for buildings with only 2 or 3.

x = more than one unit

Grandpa Hassan

BryanF wrote: »

x = more than one unit

How does a 2 bed flat, with a shared kitchen and bathroom, in which each room is rented separately, not fall under the definition of a bedsit? That is how I occasionally rent out mine

riclad

I don,t think there,s a legal definition of a bedsit,
most people would consider a bedsit a room ,with a bed ,fridge ,cooker , a few presses, to store food etc

The council inspector calls to see how much space ,you have, do you have acess to a kitchen,front room.

i think the rules are different for house sharing,
ie i know a landlord ,has 2 tenants ,lives in the house.
theres 1 bathroom, one kitchen.
council inspector was there 3 years ok.
to check on a rent allowance tenant.
its a 3bed semi d.
the tenants can use the front room ,
if the landlords gone out.
he is registered as a landlord with revenue ,etc

since bedsits are gone,
cheap flats are gone,
at least in Dublin
Probably a bedroom, in a shared house is the cheapest option ,
if you can find one.

riclad

I think all landlords must follow the rules for rental accomodation,
i dont, know how this effects someone who rents out room in a house and lives there ,
a house share .

I think the law makes bedsits illegal as they did not have bathrooms, or even a shower To cover the cost of alterations ,reduction in rental space ,
landlords have to increase the rent,
ONE bathroom costs 5k plus to build

IF there was 3 bedsits, before ,
theres maybe 2 flats ,
in some buildings,
as space must be found to build in bathroom,shower.s in the building.
ie the no of flats on the market is reduced ,
while rents increase , at least in dublin.