No basin in the only loo?

[Feminine]

Am I being unreasonable to think this can't be okay in 2014?
We have an option of a 'swap' (social housing) anyway... There is just one loo, one loo minus a Basin! The bathroom is upstairs. It is a council property built in 1958. Is it legal Anymore? Should the council put one in? I am also prepared to sort this out ourselves but... I think it strange they haven't updated? It isn't a deal breaker, but l think it us seriously unhygienic. Isn't it? Thank you all.

1940's/50's houses used to be built like this. Family bathroom with toilet next door. Simple enough to knock through and upgrade. Cost us just under 5k including huge bath, shower, wall mounted toilet and sink. All plastering, electrics, false walls, new doorway. Mud ceiling lights, waterproof non slip floor and shower boards etc.

Don't close the door when you go to the loo so you don't need to worry about getting germs on the handle?

Or put the lid down, put a chair over the loo, and put the telephone in there.

Use one had for wiping and the other for opening the door

What do you do in a public toilet where there are a row of stalls and a row of basins in the main area ?

I think it's definitely worth having a basin in the bathroom. I have awful periods and really need a basin, I really really hate going to people's homes where you have to leave the loo to wash your hands. Also much nicer if you are sick- you can get a glass of water without leaving the loo floor!

Gel will kill most germs, but not viruses. Soap, water and friction will help get rid of more of those.

Thanks all. I must clarify though. There is just the one loo. It is downstairs. It is not next to the bathroom. The only basin in the house is with the bath upstairs:(

elephantit has a massive window.

Not great in terms of convenience being on separate floors but separate loo and bathroom has the hygiene advantage that you avoid aerosolisation when you flush over toothbrushes and whatever else is left out in a bathroom.

Haven't read the whole thread, but just have to say I've never seen the point of having the toilet and bath in separate rooms but only having a basin in the same room as the bath.

Surely the whole point of having them separate is so that the loo is available even when the bathroom is in use, so only having a basin in there makes the separate rooms pointless.

I'm also with the poster who thinks it's yuk to have to open doors, etc before being able to wash hands.

So, I guess I would say that YANBU at all OP. :)

We have an upstairs toilet next to the bathroom with no basin, houses didn't even used to have a bathroom inside.
Our downstairs loo has a sink.
Put some hand gel in there if it really bothers you, but can't say its ever been an issue tbh.
Why would it be illegal?

I work for a local authority housing provider. I'm all but certain that this arrangement would not meet our own letting standard, never mind any legislation/building standards (which are not applied in retrospect).

If you accept the exchange without querying this, you might weaken your case for getting them to sort it. I suggest you raise it with them before proceeding.

The 2000 Decent Homes Standard covers this(I think). Anyway, that's what I quoted to my HA when I insisted asked for one to be fitted. The room was, I think, 2'6" x 6'00 and a small corner basin was fitted into it for me.

Yes, the last two posts illustrate what l was referring to when l mentioned that a toilet minus basin... Would now be considered illegal. Thank you all for your opinions. I am viewing the house today, so l will mention it to the current tenant. :)

Requirement G3 – Hot Water Supply and Systems

What are the controls on the hot water supply and hot water systems?

With regard to supply, the provision requires that heated wholesome water (or softened wholesome water) is provided to any washbasin or bidet provided in or adjacent to a room containing a sanitary convenience, to any washbasin, bidet, bath or shower in a bathroom and to any sink provided in any area where food is prepared.

Doesn't say there must be a basin.

Requirement G4 – Sanitary Conveniences and Washing Facilities

What is required by G4?

This provision is similar to that contained in G1 of the previous edition of Approved Document G, but there is no longer any requirement for cleanability in the current edition. It sets out that adequate and suitable sanitary conveniences (WCs and urinals) must be provided in toilets or bathrooms and that adequate hand washing facilities must be provided in or adjacent to rooms containing sanitary conveniences. Any room containing a sanitary convenience, bidet or facility for washing hands associated with a sanitary convenience must be separate from a kitchen or area where food is prepared.

In or adjacent to....

Requirement G5 – Bathrooms

What bathroom provision is required by G5?

This requires that in dwellings and in buildings containing one or more rooms for residential purposes a bathroom must be provided containing a wash basin and either a fixed bath or shower.

But nothing about loos and basins.

As it is not a commercial building/letting or in multiple occupancy I don't think there is a requirement

www.planningportal.gov.uk/permission/commonprojects/kitchensbathrooms/#ImpactonaccessibilityofgroundfloorWCs

No mention there either

I said not commercial letting - social housing = private landlord, I am assuming, given the age of the home. Even if council then there is no law to say there must be a basin if there is one in another room.

It is just that new builds tend to have them.

Oh loads and loads of council flats/ex-LA flats in london have this.

Totally easy to solve - put one of those big bottles of hand sanitizer on top of the toilet. Your children will probably be more likely to do that than have a good hand wash anyway!

Or you can buy one of those super cool loos which have a basin interested ontop of them.

£200. Bargain.
www.diy.com/rooms/cooke-lewis-duetto-close-coupled-toilet-with-integrated-basin-with-soft-close-seat/160720_BQ.prd

Thank you for the links. :)

And information. :)

Apparently, as the house was built prior to 2000,there is no requirement to put a basin in. Looks like it will be down to us l guess...

I looked at those sinks above a toilet people have been putting links to ...would free up space in my downstairs cloak -(conserving water and also I could fit a shower in)
BUT then thought how practical is it really? - to use it you would need to either stand to one side or lean over the toilet. Fine if you are a decent height and fit - but no good for less able people or children who need a stool to get on the loo etc - unless you can access it from the side - and in that case you could probably fit a small separate basin in.
Biggest expense anyway would be getting a hot water supply to it -either piping it or having a wall heater(electric) ...both of which you would need anyway for that toilet - unless it is cold water only. ...

I agree that having a loo/basin combi isn't practical.
I also agree OP that not having a basin on that floor (other than kitchen sink) is not good. Seems quite unhygienic.
Could you afford to have it done yourselves?

Definitely important, OP.

Hand washing is one of the most important first defenses against infections. I'm shocked at how many people think it is ok because people used to live like this.
Antibiotics used to work, so if you got an infection from lack of hygiene you just popped a few pills and no problem. Nurses even forgot to wash their hands in hospitals.

A lot of council properties were modernised in the late 70's early 80's, many, including the house my Mum still lives in had a coal shed built into the house. The council changed these to downstairs toilets, no handbasins.

The main bathroom is upstairs but the downstairs loo is still as it always was. It's not ideal but it's not something Mum worries over especially. She keeps antibac wipes in there, wipes her hands over then washes them in the kitchen.