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[…] Bedroom Tax – is 90 sq/ft the minimum bedroom size?. […]
These mimimum floor area sizes are from part 10 of the housing act 1985 and form part of the ctriteria used for determining whether the offence of overcrowding is occuring either by an occupant or landlord. Councils are under an obligation to investigate such offences. It would clearly be a nonsence for anyone to insist that a room should be considered occupiable if it were an offence to use it as such. OK its more complicated than that (as always) but the basic point is valid. Naturally, in determining whether a property is overcrowded the environmental health section of the Council (not planning necessarily – who generally seem to be oblivious to the existance of such legislation) will make reference to these standards in its assessment using the Housing Health and Safety rating System (HHSRS).
Sean Quinn
With respects, it appears that you have not read the article correctly, properly or even not at all.
The article begs the question that the council planning office, when approving the build of houses, have room sizes to conform to, so why are the housing benefits departments ignoring these facts when imposing the bedroom tax. See the first two (2) emboldened paragraphs.
It is accepted that the figures quoted within s326 housing act 1985 and 2004 are related to overcrowding, but the government will not define either (a) what is a bedroom or (b) room sizes as they know it will collapse and destroy the bedroom tax completely. That is what this government are trying to do, avoid the questions of definitions, thereby they can impose with impunity.
With all due respects Sean, read things properly before commenting.
By the way, I was the inspiration for the article in question.