Ealing HMO Room Sizes: Minimum Standards for Every Room Type
Room sizes are one of the first things Ealing Council's licensing inspectors check — and one of the most common reasons landlords receive a schedule of works attached to their draft licence. The minimums are not optional. If a bedroom is undersized, the council will cap the number of occupants or require physical alterations before the licence is granted.
How Ealing Measures Rooms
Usable floor area is calculated where the ceiling height is at least 1.5 metres. Space under sloping ceilings below that height, chimney breasts, en-suite shower rooms, internal corridors and dedicated kitchen areas do not count toward bedroom floor area.
Minimum Bedroom Sizes
Ealing applies both the national statutory minimums (SI 2018/616) and its own local HMO standards, which depend on whether the property has a separate communal living room:
| Room type | Statutory minimum | With communal living room (min 11 m²) | Without communal living room |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single bedroom (1 person, 10+) | 6.51 m² | 6.51 m² | 10.00 m² |
| Double bedroom (2 people) | 10.22 m² | 10.22 m² | 15.00 m² |
| Child's bedroom (under 10) | 4.64 m² | 4.64 m² | 6.51 m² |
| Single bedsit (sleeping + kitchen) | — | — | 10.20 m² |
| Double bedsit | — | — | 15.00 m² |
If your property does not have a communal living room of at least 11 m², every bedroom must meet the larger "without living room" figure. This catches landlords who convert the lounge into another letting room — the remaining bedrooms must all be significantly bigger to compensate.
Kitchen Requirements
Shared kitchens must not be in hallways, lobbies or under staircases, and sleeping rooms must not open directly into a kitchen.
For up to five occupants, the kitchen needs at least 7 m² of floor space (6 m² with a separate dining room, 8.5 m² if it doubles as a kitchen-diner). It must contain a full-sized cooker (four ring burners, oven, grill), a sink and drainer of at least 500 × 600 mm with constant hot and cold water, a fridge-freezer, refuse storage and at least four double electrical sockets positioned 150 mm from cookers and 300 mm from sinks.
For six to ten occupants, the kitchen must be at least 10 m² with two full sets of cooking appliances or duplicate sinks and fridges.
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Bathroom and Toilet Ratios
Bathrooms must be no more than one floor away from any sleeping room:
- 1–4 occupants: at least one bathroom with bath or shower, wash hand basin and toilet
- 5 occupants: one full bathroom plus a separate WC with a wash hand basin
- 6–10 occupants: two full bathrooms with at least one WC in a separate room
All bathrooms need either an openable window or mechanical extraction with an overrun timer.
What Happens If a Room Is Too Small
The council will either reduce the maximum permitted occupancy on the licence (so you lose a lettable room) or attach a schedule of works requiring physical changes within a set deadline. Failing to comply is a licence condition breach, which can trigger a civil penalty of up to £40,000.
The Ealing landlord licensing guide includes the complete room-size and amenity standards with a measurement checklist, so you can audit every room before the inspector arrives.
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