Mixed law on extractor fans

[MotherOfRatios]

Hi
planning a kitchen Reno, my kitchen has a window and I don't really want an extractor fan they're expensive and take up space, but the law and advice I keep getting is mixed.

Do you need an extractor fan if you have a window?

They’re only a couple of hundred, not expensive at all in the context of a new kitchen!

Most likely you do need one. Is there one in there now? See page 27 https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/61deba42d3bf7f054fcc243d/ADF1.pdf

It bumps the price up quite a bit so is significant. No extractor fan in currently.

I’ve just had one installed for £300. Get a different quote.

Do you have trickle vents in the window or an air brick?

It's a vented window there also hideous looking and it takes up space in a small kitchen

Are you talking about a cooker hood? They make such a difference to the cleanliness of the kitchen - they filter grease and condensation and keep the kitchen fresher looking and smelling. If you are investing in a new kitchen, or reworking the existing units, it makes a lot of sense. They do not need to be expensive.

Apologies if I misunderstood and you are talking about something else entirely.

I hate extractors, they are so loud and unless they are vented outside they don't seem to clear any steam or smells. Ugly too.

I didn’t have an extractor fan fitted due to the location of our hob. It’s never bothered me and our kitchen doesn’t get steamed up.

We had a brand new kitchen in 2021 and our hob is on the island. We just have a simple fan in the wall and it was signed off happily by building control (was an extension).
We use it occasionally (more in winter) but mostly just open doors/windows if needed. Never had any lasting smells.

Everything is going like for like there's no reworking involved. There coming in at £200+ due to the specific kitchen I'm having and I just can't justify it when I don't cook anything greasy or use the hob a lot

If you don't already have a cooker hood or fan that vent to outside, then you don't need to put one in, as long as your reno is just furniture, not structural work eg new windows or knocking rooms together.

Also you don't have to have a cooker hood, you can have a wall mounted "xpelair" type fan, as long as it has enough capacity, it's a bit more than a bathroom fan.

Basically you can't worsen the existing ventilation, even if you don't like or use it.

This is from building regs part F.

Kitchen companies are desperate to sell you a horrible extractor hood so will try to make you have one. And obviously its a good idea to have ventilation in a room, but you are obviously happy with your window!

i plan to knock the wall door between the kitchen and pantry in five years but now, in terms of kitchen yes it's just fitting new sink and oven/gas hob and units

I would think about where to put an unobtrusive wall fan (including running power) either now or when you knock through. As when the building inspector checks your wall/structural work they will probably want to see ventilation as well. This kind of thing:
https://www.manrose.co.uk/product/lp150stc-lo-profile-square-kitchen-fan-timer-chrome-150mm/

I don't have a spare wall as my boiler is on one side and it will be kitchen cabinets the other side

We could only have a recirculating extractor due to the location of our cooker. (Although that does help with removing grease via charcoal filters.)

So we had a small, whisper-quiet extractor mounted on the ceiling and that was acceptable to building control. The regulations just need it to be able to remove a certain amount of air per minute. It’s just a small, flat, white box so unobtrusive, but still very effective.