Could I class myself as a single household ?

[PandoraBox89]

I live in a Tier 3 city in a HMO. Self-contained room, just a shared kitchen.
3 other rooms here, but I virtually never see them,apart from occasionally passing in the hallway.
Don't mix with them so essentially socially distanced from them at all times. Don't even know most of their names !

I don't view it in the same way as if I were living with friends, family or a partner. On this basis, do you think I can bubble up with my partner who is in tier 1?

No. You are not a single household. You share stuff with other people and I am assuming you all arent cleaning everything down after you've touched it?

Sadly not. Could you go and stay with your partner or is that not feasible?

Does your partner live alone? That would be ok if so. Or could you try moving in with your partner?

I am in wales and we are going into a national lockdown, which I assume is just as strict if not more than Tier 3. HMOs are allowed to bubble up here 🤷‍♀️.

We are just going to do day trips out for now as we are allowed to meet outside, it's better than not seeing each other at all ! Thanks for the replies.

If he is a single adult household, yes you can, regardless of your living situation.

You live in a shared house. If your partner is in a one person household then he can bubble with you.

Sadly he doesn't live alone. Wish they could have rules like Scotland or Wales where HMOs can mix, ah well, it's not going to be forever I guess, least we will see each other in some capacity.

I have kitchen facilities in my room and an en suite, i've thought of moving to a 1-bed flat so that we can bubble but can't afford it atm sadly, but fingers crossed this won't go on for too long.

Could you afford it with him? If he really wants to see you too you could move in together temporarily or he he’ll towards rent for a studio for you?

If you have kitchen facilities in your room and don't use the shared kitchen, then yes. Otherwise, single people living in flats with communal hallways, entrances, etc would also not be classed as single households which would be ridiculous.

He lives further away and has work commitments so we can't move in together right away sadly but we can in a couple of months so that's something.
I do use the shared kitchen sadly, but we have managed to find a solution for now which is the main thing, hopefully tier 3 won't go on for too long.

As you live in a licensed HMO the maximum number of people who can live in your house will be defined by the licence. The HMO licence and maximum number of occupants should be displayed in the property. This then impacts the number of people who can visit your home. If there are 6 or more people normally living at your house then you should not have any visitors. The exception to this is if any residents are absent and there are fewer than 6 people present in the property.

When meeting friends and family you do not live with (or have formed a support bubble with) you must not meet in a group of more than 6, indoors or outdoors.

The rule of 6 is a legal requirement enforced by the police and there is government guidance on the rule of six and meeting with others safely. The web address for the guidance is provided below.

This is guidance that alludes to the fact thy though you're termed as household for Isolation purposes etc, that you can still form a support bubble but probably not at your address.

Wish they could have rules like Scotland or Wales where HMOs can mix

I have never seen Scottish guidance for this?

Do you use your own pots and pans etc?
if you are literally going into kitchen when nobody else is there, using your stuff and wiping door handles and surfaces etc then I can't see that much difference between your set up and anyone living in a flat with other communal hallways, stairways etc.

Who's going to know? How much of this is actual law, and not guidance, anyway.
There's so many loopholes regarding this, anyway. I suggest you check them out. Struggling with mental health is one.
Apart from the obvious breaches like parties and businesses pubs etc being open, there are numerous loopholes about seeing others.
To be frank, I doubt the police can be bothered to stop a couple meeting up. Put yourself in the shoes of an average policeman, does he really want to go into the ins and outs of your mental health status? Of course not.
I'm sick of this bullshit.
I think having parties or just 'socialising' is not on right now, but denying basic companionship? That's not acceptable.