To think that a 'bedroom' without a window cannot be legally described as one?

[ABedroomByAnyOtherName]

We've had a holiday booked since last year with a UK Holiday Cottage company. Lovely cottage, three bedrooms, great reviews on the website.

I paid the final balance this week and thought I'd have a look at the more recent reviews. Two new reviews point out that the third bedroom does not in fact have a window, it is just a windowless storage room with a bed inside.

This is ridiculous, surely? We need three bedrooms as there will be me and DH plus two teens who will definitely not share. We have paid a significant amount of money for three bedrooms - none of us will sleep in a windowless room, especially not in the summer!

After a quick check on the internet, most seem to agree that a room without a window cannot be legally described as a bedroom under UK law and can definitely not be advertised as one for renting out. This is due to fire safety regulations, as there needs to be at least two exits in the case of a fire.

I emailed the company saying this and have had a reply today to say it IS a bedroom and as such wasn't misdescribed, so they don't see an issue.
I'm so annoyed! We have paid a lot for what's basically a two bedroom cottage unsuitable for our needs, how on earth can they justify this?!

Can anyone help point me to the particular piece of legislation/building regs that confirm this? Obviously, lots of planning/building trade websites mentioned this, but I'd rather have a link to a government site to support this when I email back. I'd be so grateful for any help!

Ugh. I am so peeved. I'd rather they gave me a full refund now, as it's so dishonest that I resent giving them any of my money...any advice/pointers gratefully received!

Tell them you want a full refund as no one wants to sleep in a room with no window and unless you get a full refund you will take them to small claims court for mis-describing the windowless room as a bedroom.

This.

Heaven help you when said teens are looking to move out.

Signed, someone whose bathroom doesn't have a window.

It can can be a bedroom without a window, but I’d be asking about how it’s ventilated and what the fire strategy for the property is.

A bathroom doesn't need a window.
A bedroom does, doesn't it?

Does this apply to all rooms, my DS’s flat doesn’t have a window in the kitchen or bathroom?

Lots of bathrooms have no window. Does your bedroom also have no window? I doubt it.

Lots of bathrooms don’t have windows.

Bedrooms do need windows.

YANBU. Bedrooms in the UK should always have a window.

It's a huge fire risk for starters.

"Building regulations in the UK require all bedrooms to have windows. These are primarily meant to lower the risk of injury in case of a fire. They serve as ventilation for the room and also help to provide emergency exits. While the government can’t stop you from using windowless bedrooms, you will get into legal hot water if you rent the room to lodgers or tenants as a bedroom. When selling or renting out the house, you can market any windowless rooms as studios, playrooms, home gyms, or even home offices."

https://buildsafe.co.uk/building-regulation-for-windows-in-bedrooms/#:~:text=Building%20regulations%20in%20the%20UK%20require%20all%20bedrooms%20to%20have,help%20to%20provide%20emergency%20exits.

Just tell one of the teens to sleep in the bedroom with no window. It's a holiday, it can't possibly be for that long? Nothing is going to happen because it doesn't have a window, just leave the door open a crack and it'll be grand.

I think it’s preferable but I don’t think it’s a legal requirement.

I think it’s preferable but I don’t think it’s a legal requirement
Thanks.

That’s absolutely ridiculous. I’d be cancelling too.

No, it applies to bedroom which people will be sleeping in, as they need a second route of exit. This is in case of a fire breaking out while you are asleep, which could then spread and cut off your route of egress through the door before you wake up and notice it.

The assumption is that nobody spends so long in a kitchen or bathroom that if a fire breaks out you will fail to notice it in time.

Kitchens should have windows for ventilation/fire safety purposes. Bathrooms should ideally have a window and an extractor fan, but just an extractor fan is okay too.

I'd be asking if their insurer knows they are using a windowless room as a bedroom.

Bathroom isn’t a bedroom. Also this isn’t about their budget leaving home, this is a holiday.

If a fire broke out in the hallway, the person in that bedroom would be dead in minutes.

I’ve stayed in hotel rooms that don’t have windows, the ones that do rarely open.

Posting regulation for residential rental is a bit pointless, the regulations for rental properties are not the same for holiday lets, hotels etc.

Ask for a full refund, if not report to trading standards.

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/get-more-help/report-to-trading-standards/

buildsafe.co.uk/building-regulation-for-windows-in-bedrooms/#:~:text=Building%20regulations%20in%20the%20UK%20require%20all%20bedrooms%20to%20have,help%20to%20provide%20emergency%20exits.

As PP have mentioned, the comparison to a toilet does not hold any weight. Typically downstairs toilets (under the stairs for example) have an extractor fan and possibly no window. However, while using a toilet you are conscious and only using it for a few minutes. I have no issue with this.

However, in a bedroom, you are unconscious for at least 6 or so hours and massively at risk if a fire breaks out which prevents you from being able to leave via the door. For that reason alone I would refuse to sleep in a windowless room or have my children sleep in one.

That's before even getting into the discomfort of using the room (lack of any natural light, ventilation, temperature control etc).

I'd 100% fight this OP.

You can’t apply the same fire regs to a holiday let as to a domestic dwelling.

In a house, there’s usually a strategy that means first floor windows are suitable for means of escape. But you can’t legislate for less able people in this scenario, so a holiday let will usually have an alternative strategy such as a protected route, enhanced early warning or suppression via sprinklers etc.

A bedroom does not have to have a window, but it does have to have ventilation.

@Simonjt Your windowless bedoom in a hotel had sprinkler system in the ceiling.

What floor is the room on?

'A room where the only escape route
is through another room is termed an ‘inner room’. The occupants of an inner room could be at risk if a fire starts in
the outer room (often referred to as an ‘access room’). Although this arrangement should be avoided wherever possible,
it is acceptable where the inner room is a kitchen, laundry or utility room, bathroom, WC or shower room and where steps have been taken to mitigate the risk

Inner rooms should not be used for any form of sleeping accommodation unless the rooms are on the ground floor and the rooms have direct access to a door or “escape window” that can be used by the occupants to reach a place of safety clear of the accommodation.

Escape windows on the ground floor can only be considered acceptable if they are easily accessed and provide a clear opening of sufficient size to allow able-bodied persons to escape in the event of a fire in the access room. Mobility impaired people should not be accommodated in rooms where the means of escape is reliant on escape windows.'^
^
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachmentt^data/file/1147723/A/Aguideetotomakinggyourursmalllpaying-guest-accommodationonsafeefromom_fire.pdff