To build a false wall in a Housing Association rental property?

[WheelbarrowKid]

We rent from a housing association. Have a 2 bed house. There are 4 of us. DS 8 has a disability which causes him to be unable to share a room. DD 1 is still sharing with us which is fine for now but would like to move her to her own space soon as she wakes us all night wanting to share the bed etc.

We are assessed as being overcrowded and in need of a 3 bedroom but we are Band C so don't stand much of a chance getting a larger property. Have been bidding for over a year.

We've tried to swap but it's next to impossible as most people don't want to downsize for a smaller property that has a high rent.

One of the bedrooms is very large and has 2 windows so could be divided down the middle to make 2 ok sized box rooms.

I know it is not allowed as would need permission to be made into a 3 bed etc but what are people supposed to do when swapping / being given a new property is next to impossible and private renting is out of the question do to the prices being unaffordable.

The wall would be a stud wall and we'd make it so it could be removed if we had to etc.

Right now if our bedrooms had 2 windows I would split both the bedrooms into smaller ones.
We need to move on medical grounds and we are also over crowded we have 2 bedrooms but need 4.
I started bidding in July 2022 and no closer to moving.

Could you rearrange so that your son has your room and then use dividers to split the room so that you and your daughter then share that as 2 smaller rooms?

I know it's not ideal and real loss of privacy for you but might bridge the issue for a while?

Just do it. My mum did all sorts of stuff in our HA properties and no-one ever checked or cared.

A stud wall will be easy to remove and patch/paint so it wouldn't even cross my mind to ask for permission.

Without seeing the plans I would be concerned about fire safety requirements within building regulations and creating an inner room.

Have you looked at staggered bunkbeds as a room divider? They're also space efficient as you only lose the floor area of a single bed.

There would really need to be a wall and a door separating them.

If you need to fit a separate door that sounds more difficult to remove/make good. I would switch rooms and put a removable divider between you and dd.

It's really not.

I'd stick a stud wall up, as long as you are happy to put the effort into taking it all back down and making everything right if you do ever leave.

People do all kinds of stuff to HA/council properties and you're probably going to be stuck there a long time, do what makes all of your lives easier.

When I say a door I mean one of those bi fold things in the stud wall. I've attached a diagram, excuse my terrible drawing! The door to the bedroom is on the right of that diagram. I'd put a stud wall probably straight down the middle so one room as the single window and the other has the triple.

We did this, got permission from HA first.

It worked v well, it is a great idea

@WheelbarrowKid try this.
We used it when we rented for six months when our house was being renovated. When we took it down it didn’t leave any marks.

https://www.diy.com/ranges/building-ranges/alara

It can be painted, papered etc.

I did it when living in rented, constructed it so only needed to make one visible drilled hole in the floor. Worked a treat to give daughter privacy when brothers were walking through to get to a bathroom.

I'm hesitant about asking for permission from the HA first because they'd likely say no and then if I did it anyway I feel like I'd be in more trouble. Everything else we have done we have asked for permission first and it's been fine but this would be such an important thing for everyone's sake that I don't want to risk it being turned down.

Would one person have to go through the other’s room?

If you think your son would push out the boxes on a Kalax unit you could get some plywood and screw that to one side. Then you get storage and it isn’t a “wall” so there could be no objections? Then a barn style sliding door attached to the unit. There might be a gap at the ceiling though.

Yea do it, it’s not a permanent change and could be put back and made right in a day , we did that in a previous house we didn’t even take the carpet up ! You’ve got 2 windows , you can put some electrics in fairly easily if you wanted, it’s not expensive and is only a days work to make your lives easier .If the the ha get arsey you can just take it down and you’re no worse off bar a couple hundred £ . Do it!

If DS can’t share a room because of his disability, have you thought about applying for a Disabled Facilities Grant?

I'd be careful if someone has to walk through the others room.

My Housing Association (I am both a tenant and work for them) won't let you do it if you have to walk through one room to get to the other even if it's only a little walk, it's for fire safety regulations.

Also they prefer to do this type of work themselves so it meets any fire safety regulations rather than let the tenants do it.

Tenants have been evicted for doing it without permission as well.

Just do it. They wont be overly concerned providing you comply with the Fire Regs. So for the safety of your family do read up on those.

Have you enquired about having the property adapted?

A partition wall is common even in HA properties. Many people do this and thy don't ask for permission. It's a wood frame and some boards. Easy to take down and put right IF you decide to move. Just do it. It's no one else's business. You have a room large enough. I see rooms that have been divided all the time, even when they have just one window in the middle (which doesn't look great).

Plan B could be something like this link 2 bedrooms in 1 CLICK HERE. It divides the room but making an s shape bed as a divider. This, in effect, is more or less the same as putting in a partition, it's just a different shape.

There’s an account on instagram that did that, sorry I can’t recall which.
Newbuild - teen daughter and a young brother. His half doesn’t have a window but put strip light ups. Seemed to really trigger people as ‘illegal’. It was making best and not a fire risk he could still get to window. She said when they sell it would be removed easily and cheaply.

@WaterNameGame Yes one would have to walk through the other to get to the main door. Ah that's exactly what worries me. I'd be fine with having to take it down and put right if the HA objected but the thought of getting evicted over it is worrying.

What if the stud wall wasn't fully enclosed? But sort of left open at one end for the space to walk through? I don't know if that makes any sense.

I would just do it

Isn’t there a legal age where they’re not allowed to share anymore if they’re mixed gender? I thought it was 10 so surely you would be more of a priority to be rehoused at that time?

I could be wrong!

Certainly in an office you’re not allowed to have rooms within rooms due to fire safety. I assume it’s the same for domestic premises.

You would not be allowed to build a permanent stud wall under most HA and even councils, due to fire health and safety.

In the event of a fire. would you be able to open the window and doors fully without restriction? most houses are built within fire safety regulations and you would be in breach of your tenancy agreement if you went down this route.

Yes councils and HA would go down the legal route to demolish this and all costs would be chargeable to you due to tenancy breach.