drumsterphil

iTrader: (1)

Got a family behind me living in a one-bedroom house. The parents sleep in the bedroom and the 5 year old son and baby sleep in the lounge.

Is this illegal as I've been told by a colleague at work that by law children must have a separate bedroom to sleep in. Yes or no?

CrisPDuk

As far as I am aware, the only actual extant law about children's sleeping arrangements is that you can't sleep a brother & a sister in the same room once one of them is over 5 (I think) years old.

scoobyvirgin

I don't actually beleive that's true. Who would make such a stupid law? That's the family camping trip out the window!

CrisPDuk

It's genuine SV, although I think it only applies to your permanent residence.

I believe it was brought in in an attempt to limit the spread of Chavs

wrxtankie

Chavs is that like pikeys, carnies, and people from the west country?

scoobyvirgin

Well, knock me down and steal muh teeth! looks like i'll have to tell Bubba and Jeb they can't sleep in the same room no more.

carl

Source?

Fat Boy

Scoobyvirgin, there's no law about same sex, so no problem - just tell them to keep right on sleeping together

OllyK

As long as you have a kennel erected for them in the garden they don't need a bedroom, or is that dogs?

Mice_Elf

I believe that children can sleep in the same room up to the age of 10, but after that brothers and sisters must be separated.

I'll try to find some supporting evidence.

carl

I think what you're saying only refers to rental properties though.

Mice_Elf

Found this information :

A bedroom can be occupied by:-


Two adults living as a couple
Two children under 5 years of age
Two children of the same sex where at least one is aged between 5 &16 years
Two persons of the same sex with a maximum age gap of 16 years


from here : http://www.broxtowe.gov.uk/index/hou...ist_points.htm

lightning101

In scotland it is the "Children (Scotland) act 1995", which states some unknowns e.g. "age child can be left on their own in the house" - there is now law, but you are responsible for their welfare. Their are only recommendations from social services on this.

Leaving children on their own

There is no law that determines the minimum age that a child can be left alone. However, there is a law about neglecting children and you are legally responsible for the safety of your child. Babies and young children should never be left on their own, however tempting it may seem when a child is asleep and you only plan to be out for a while.

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) gives the following advice about leaving children alone:

• Never leave babies or young children home alone (whether sleeping or awake), not even for a few minutes.
• Until the age of about 13 most children are not mature enough to cope with an emergency and should not be left alone for more than a very short time.
• If children do have to be alone, give them clear instructions about what to do if there is a problem. Leave a list of people you trust who they can go to or telephone for help, such as a neighbour or close relative. And remember to put all obvious dangers out of reach before you go (eg. medicines, chemicals, matches or sharp objects).
• No child or young person under 16 should be left alone overnight.

(Taken from Home alone: Advice for parents, published free by the NSPCC leaflet no. 0279).

Mice_Elf

And this :

Same sex children can share a bedroom until the age of 16 years. Different sex children can share a bedroom until the age of ten.

from here : http://www.medway.gov.uk/index/housi...ster/9943.html

HTH

carl

That information refers to a points system which determines if someone is eligible for being re-housed. It's "overcrowding" and only one of a number of factors. It doesn't say it's illegal. It also doesn't cover the case of when I was at university and we rented this house where two blokes shared a bedroom (it was a big room with two beds in it). And they wasn't a gap of 16 years between their ages either (WTF is that about?)

Edit: so does the second one. Sure, I can agree that someone with two same-sex kids over the age of 16 has a social need for a bigger house, but surely it can't be illegal for two adults to share a bedroom?

lightning101

English law and council law

How to work out how many rooms you are allowed

The number of people who live with you will be used to work out how many bedrooms and

living rooms you are allowed. We do not count other rooms such as a kitchen or bathroom.

The number of rooms you are allowed is used to work out how much Local Housing Allowance you may

be able to get.

You can use the following information as a guide to work out how many rooms you are allowed.

Bedrooms

You are allowed one bedroom for:

?

?

?

?

carl

For sure, it's all useful information. But can you show me that it's against the law for two different-sex kids to share a room in a privately-owned dwelling?

BTW, we have a 4-bed house so this doesn't apply. But we previously had a 2-bed house, which we left when the eldest was 10. Had no idea about this "law" then.

Madjay2

"I believe it was brought in in an attempt to limit the spread of Chavs"

possibley the funniest thing i have ever read on scoobynet lmfao

ChrisChennell

I doubt it is against the law, or if it is they dont care about it. When i was temping at the local housing trust I say a couple of cases where people were refused housing and their reason for requesting it was still sharing with opposite sex siblings at ages 20 upwards.

CrisPDuk

Carl, My source was a guy at the CAB when Mrs D & me first got together, as I only had a small terrace, & she already had 1 of each. She checked to be sure, in case her ex decided to cause trouble.


Jay, it's nice to be appreciated

EddScott

If all children are supposed to have their own bedroom, can someone please tell my 2 year old daughter to start using hers!?

Nicest room in the house and do you think she'll spend all night in it?

OllyK

From what I have seen, it seems that the age and sex of the siblings is used to determine the accomodation required when the council are supplying a property to a family. However, in a private dwelling I don't think or indeed see why such rules should or would apply.