Bedroom without a window

[Kico99]

Hello! Does anyone have any advice on purchasing a 1 bed apartment where the bedroom doesn’t have a window? It meets fire regs as there is only the requirement for a room to have either a window or open directly onto a hall leading to an entrance/ exit – it does the latter. I’m ok with sleeping in a bedroom with no window but I’m not sure if I’ll be able to sell it going forward if I bought it ... plus the seller is asking for £50k more than she bought it 6yrs without adding much to it all. I didn’t think 1 bed flats increase in price very much or at all to be honest and especially one with the bedroom not having a window ...

Help! Thanks 🙏🏽

Just to add, there has been a lot in the press about councils putting people who need emergency housing into these permitted development converted buildings. In order to cope with the demand for housing, councils buy up or allow private developers to buy ex-commercial buildings and give permission to convert to residential which wouldn’t meet normal planning. So a 1 person property can be less than the 37m square minimum, or a 2 person 1 bedder can be smaller than the just over 50m square size that the regulations now require. Bedrooms might be smellier than the 11 point something metre square required for a double bedroom. Bedrooms can lack windows. Living areas can be smaller than usually permitted.

And then people are moved in and often end up being there far longer than ‘emergency’ might suggest and there have been lots of complaints and TV programmes made about lack of windows and ventilation and size of rooms.

Standard rules about windows are there for good reason. It might look lovely and be decorated to look appealing and attractive and it might have lots of nice features, however the reality is that in terms of basic public health amenities (windows) this does not meet current standards or modern expectations which have been around since the Victorian’s started addressing public health....lack of windows. They might have installed a ventilation system to comply but life will be impacted by the lack of windows. Victorian slum dwellers were eventually protected by public health policy, but it seems the rules can be twisted these days so that developers can make a buck, and the protections people gained more than a century ago can be let slip. Might sound a bit extreme, but essentially that is what is going on with these properties.

@dotdashdashdash

It sounds hideous, but having seen it, it looks very nice. But how does it feel? If you imagine it without it's current décor and you alone in it, does it feel like you've been kidnapped and kept in someones homemade cell?

Haha that made me laugh! I have similar taste in decor as I'm a painter myself so it gave me a better look on how I would decorate it myself.

@WombatChocolate

Just to add, there has been a lot in the press about councils putting people who need emergency housing into these permitted development converted buildings. In order to cope with the demand for housing, councils buy up or allow private developers to buy ex-commercial buildings and give permission to convert to residential which wouldn’t meet normal planning. So a 1 person property can be less than the 37m square minimum, or a 2 person 1 bedder can be smaller than the just over 50m square size that the regulations now require. Bedrooms might be smellier than the 11 point something metre square required for a double bedroom. Bedrooms can lack windows. Living areas can be smaller than usually permitted.

And then people are moved in and often end up being there far longer than ‘emergency’ might suggest and there have been lots of complaints and TV programmes made about lack of windows and ventilation and size of rooms.

Standard rules about windows are there for good reason. It might look lovely and be decorated to look appealing and attractive and it might have lots of nice features, however the reality is that in terms of basic public health amenities (windows) this does not meet current standards or modern expectations which have been around since the Victorian’s started addressing public health....lack of windows. They might have installed a ventilation system to comply but life will be impacted by the lack of windows. Victorian slum dwellers were eventually protected by public health policy, but it seems the rules can be twisted these days so that developers can make a buck, and the protections people gained more than a century ago can be let slip. Might sound a bit extreme, but essentially that is what is going on with these properties.

B interesting thanks!

I wouldn't. I once checked in to a hotel where the bedroom had no window and didn't realise until I drew the curtains! Even if you aren't claustrophobic now, you might be in the future, not worth the risk. And I agree, a bedroom without a window is a cupboard, sorry!

I wouldn't touch it with a bargepole.

No don't do it !

A bedroom with no window sounds far too Claustropic and Air less,
I think you will have serious issues with Dampness(mold) cause of condensation this is serious bad news cause of mold spores are can be so damaging to your health wise for e.g respiratory issues .

Plus why would anybody want to sleep in a prison cell like type of envoriment or in a mental health type of instintuition envoriment then?

Absolutely weird just the thought of what it be like for anybody being cooped up in that
It be like or depressing similar.same as Lockdowns experience
Grim

No window bedroom sounds similar to mental health insintuition /or a detention unit type of bedroom facilities !

Christ No !

@Doveyouknow

It looks lovely. I am not sure the lack of window in the bedroom would bother me but I would leave the door open for ventilation. I would be more concerned if there are no other windows in the flat that you can open to ventilate it though...

It’s a fire door! You are not supposed to leave them open. And if there was a fire, and the fire door was open ..........

This No Bedroom thing reminds me of those psychological horror movie

Or
Of those true life murders or kiddnapp tv programmes that are on often now adays

It’s a fire door! You are not supposed to leave them open. And if there was a fire, and the fire door was open ..........

and if there was a fire outside the bedroom and the fire door were closed and the owner was in the bedroom with no other exit ......?

I bought my one bed flat in 2015 for 175k. Selling this year for 250k. So the price increase depends on the market. I wouldn't buy a 1 bed without a window unless it was an investment property.

I wouldn't buy it. I would be worried about feeling claustrophobic, especially in the living space, getting overheated, cooking smells and having no views.

It you could afford a bit more you can get so much more for your money e.g 2 bed with garden
www.rightmove.co.uk/property/76143850

Or for a bit less (basement but big windows and some outdoor space)
www.rightmove.co.uk/property/77270478

I’d back away for multiple reasons.

For me the main turn off is the giant skylight. You’ll be sweltering when it is sunny and deafened when it rains.

Looks nice but I wouldn't buy it. It'll be stifling in summer with that skylight, especially if you can't open windows at opposite ends of the building for a through-breeze. It'll be deafening when it rains. The windows from the flats above would put me off, even though they're frosted - what's to stop them changing them? No window in any other rooms would be claustrophobic to me. I wouldn't even buy a house with an interior bathroom.

You'll struggle to resell although I think that'll be the least of your problems.

Are you sure it is legal? We live in a flat that we've carried out renovation works on and our Building control guy wanted a window AND an old door that went to the balcony to stay (they did eventually relent) but I cannot imagine getting away with no window. There is no escape route.

So from that plan theres only one window in the whole place??

Nope.

Found it... honestly OP I wouldn’t.

1 window in the entire flat?????? That would be a hell no from me. Walk away and look elsewhere, this could be a nightmare to sell on.

They've done very well to decorate this and show it off to its best advantage..please try to look past that and imagine yourself living in it. Would you survive the hot summers, the lockdowns and wfh etc there?

Prices are a bit crazy just now so Id also factor in how long you plan to be there, if you want to move again within the next 10yrs or so then I think you'd struggle to resell. Longer and who knows.

But then again I find the London property market absolutely bonkers being from up north

I lived in a basement flat for a year with no bedroom window, it was fine as I only slept in there and had plenty of windows in the other living spaces. I wouldn't buy a place like that, it was only alright for short term rent but I imagine others would if they were happy to only use the bedroom for sleep and not half bedroom half office etc.

I don't think I could bring myself to part with half a million quid for a flat that has no bedroom window. I love a light airy bedroom and love to sleep with the window open.

A bedroom without a window is a cupboard.

They've done very well to give the impression of the flat being light and airy, but I'd be very concerned about it as a buyer, and wouldn't touch it if I was seeking a 1 bedroom flat, especially at that price.

Unless you need to be in Central Richmond for a specific reason, you'll get much more for your £550k just over the river in Twickenham, or if you go east to Kew (I know that wasn't your question, but it does matter!).

58 square metres with only one traditional window on a wall would be a no from me.

Thanks all!! Really appreciate the advice, the fact I had to ask probably should tell me all I need to know but I've never lived in a flat before so I wasn't sure what may or may not be acceptable/ normal as a compromise.