The Council has adopted standards to safeguard the health and safety of people living in rented accommodation and to ensure that facilities within the dwelling are suitable for the number of people living there. You can use the links below to quickly access information on this page:
Amenities and space guidance for all dwellings
There are some amenities that are required in all dwellings. There must be:
- satisfactory facilities for the storing, preparing and cooking of food including an adequate number of sinks with a satisfactory supply of hot and cold water.
- an adequate number of suitably positioned toilets for the sole use of the people living there.
- an adequate number of suitably positioned fixed baths or showers and wash-hand basins, each with a satisfactory supply of hot and cold water.
- adequate precautions in place to protect against the risk from fire; these are detailed in the Fire Safety pages.
You can download guidance on space provision for Houses in Multiple Occupation by using the link below:
Access
When the facilities are shared, access must be through communal areas only and not through someone else's accommodation. Access must not be from outside the house.
Bathrooms
Construction - Each bathroom, shower or toilet compartment should have surfaces that are reasonably smooth, waterproof and easy to clean. A minimum of a two-tile splash back, or equivalent, around the bath and basin should be provided and a full-height splash back, at least 1.7 metres high, around the shower. Edges should be properly sealed where they meet a wall. Shower trays should be suitably enclosed to prevent water splashing. Floors should be slip resistant and easy to clean.
The toilet, washbasin and bath or shower should have smooth, waterproof surfaces that are easy to clean. Each should be of adequate size and be connected through a suitable trap to main drainage. The flushing mechanism of the toilet should be capable of removing waste effectively.
The approximate minimum dimensions for each fitting are:
- bath - length 1.7metres x width 760mm
- basin (excluding basins in toilet compartments): - depth 410mm x width 560mm.
- basin in toilet compartment - smaller basins permitted.
- shower tray - length 760mm x width 760mm.
Privacy - Each bathroom, shower room or toilet should be in a compartment providing privacy, so partitions must be from floor to ceiling, doors must have suitable locks, and any windows should be opaque.
Kitchens
All facilities and appliances should be designed and installed so that they are not a risk to people in the kitchen.
Most accidents in the kitchen are in connection with the cooker, electrical installation or out-of-reach storage; they can be reduced by safe layout and circulation space.
Where the cooker is in relation to doorways and work surfaces is particularly important. The cooker, work surfaces and sink should be reasonably close together in the kitchen and positioned so as to be as safe as possible. Anti-topple brackets should be fitted to cookers and cooker safety guards provided if children are living in, or are regular visitors to, the accommodation. It is especially important that work surfaces are easily cleaned and big enough to provide space for hot pans and dishes, which should be out of reach to small children. Work surfaces on either side of a cooker will help prevent a child reaching panhandles at the side of a cooker.
Electrical leads must not trail across the kitchen and the electrical installation and appliances must be in a safe condition and should be regularly checked for safety by a National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting (NICEIC) 
registered contractor.
Gas cookers and gas fired water heating systems must be checked for safety at least once every 12 months by a Council of Registered Gas Installers (CORGI) registered contractor.
Location - Depending upon the type of accommodation, suitable cooking facilities may be provided within each letting, if there is enough space, whilst in others some share. When a communal dining room is not provided, the kitchen should be on the same floor as the letting and, where this is not possible, it should be no more than one floor distant.
In the case of a shared kitchen if a communal dining room is provided, this should be next to the kitchen.
Kitchen size and layout - The kitchen size and shape should allow for the safe provision of all kitchen facilities. Cookers should not be by doorways, and there should be enough floor space to allow safe access to the oven and safe circulation space for kitchen users. In shared kitchens there should be no more than two sets of facilities per kitchen.
Within lettings the kitchen area should be adequately separated from other activity areas, such as beds, and should be away from the doorway if within a bed-sit or kitchen/diner.
Lighting and ventilation of kitchen areas - The kitchen area, particularly cookers and worktops, must be well lit and have adequate ventilation. In addition to any natural ventilation, mechanical extract ventilation should be installed and maintained.
Communal food provision - When food is provided communally, such as in some hostels and bed and breakfast places, meals should be available at normal meal times. But there is still a need to provide facilities for tenants to prepare light meals and drinks. If all meals are not provided then food preparation facilities must be provided in line with the standards in this document.
Food preparation and associated facilities and procedures must meet the requirements of the Food Safety Act 1990 and the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and all associated Regulations. For more information call Environment Services on 01332 641333.
Contact us
For more information on our services, or to contact us for advice about housing standards, please contact us using the details below, or by using the form at the bottom of this page:
Housing Standards Team,
Housing and Advice Services,
PO Box 6323,
Derby,
DE1 2WW
Telephone: 01332 255 160
Minicom: 01332 255 316
Email: Housing.Standards@derby.gov.uk.