Houses in Multiple Occupation amenity guidance

10.1 All habitable rooms shall be ventilated directly to the external air by a window which has an openable part not less than 1/20th of the floor area of the room.

10.2 All shared kitchens and kitchen areas within bedsits shall be ventilated directly to the external air by either:

• a window with an openable part not less than 1/20th of the floor area
• an appropriate extractor fan

10.3 All bathrooms shall be ventilated directly to the external air by either:

• a window with an openable part not less than 1/20th of the floor area
• an appropriate extractor fan

10.4 All toilet compartments shall be ventilated directly to the external air by either:

• a window with an openable part not less than 1/20th of the floor area
• a suitably sited mechanical extract ventilation unit capable of extracting air at not less than 6 litres per second operated from the lighting circuit of the room and fitted with a 15 minute overrun

Basement rooms as habitable rooms shall be provided with natural ventilation direct to the external air. In addition, there should normally be an unobstructed space immediately outside the window opening which extends the entire width of the window or more and has a depth of not less than 600mm measured from the external wall or not less than 300mm in the case of a bay window with side lights.

Where ventilation is required for any fuel burning appliance (such as a gas fire or boiler) the ventilation shall be provided and maintained in accordance with manufactures instructions.