Overcrowding in privately rented housing
If you are privately renting and think your home is overcrowded you can report it to us. We may be able to act following an investigation.
Barnet homes residents can report overcrowding on the Barnet homes website.
How to report overcrowding
You’ll need to tell us:
- contact details for your landlord.
- the number and size of rooms in your home
- details of the people living in your home
There are three different ways you can report overcrowding:
Report overcrowding online
Report overcrowding by email
When you have completed the form, email it to housingconditions@barnet.gov.uk
Report overcrowding by phone
Call 0208 359 7995.
Our contact centre is open from:
- Monday to Thursday from 9am to 5.15pm
- Friday from 9am to 5pm
How to measure the size of your rooms
Use a tape measure to measure the length and width of your room in metres. Multiply the length and width together to find the size of the room in square metres.
How we will investigate overcrowding
We work out if your home is overcrowded based on the:
- number of occupants
- sex of the occupants
- age of the occupants
- number and size of rooms you can sleep in
These rooms count as rooms that you can sleep in:
- bedrooms
- living rooms
- dining rooms
These rooms do not count as rooms you can sleep in:
- bathrooms
- toilets
- any room less than 4.65 square metres 50 square feet
Rule 1: Sharing a room
Your home is overcrowded if two people over the age of 10 must sleep in the same room and they are:
- not a couple
- of a different sex
Children aged 10 and below do not apply to this rule and can share a room with anyone.
Rule 2: Number of rooms you can sleep in
Your home is overcrowded if you do not have enough rooms to sleep in for the people who live there.
To work out if there are enough rooms for people living in your home:
1. Count the number of rooms you can sleep in. A room you can sleep in needs to be at least 4.65 square metres (50 square feet).
2. Count the number of people who live in your home. For this rule, you should count:
- People aged 10 or over = 1 person
- Children aged between 1 and 9 = ½ person
- Babies under 1 year = Do not count
3. Use the table below to understand the highest number of people who can sleep in the rooms you have available:
| Number of rooms | Highest number of people |
|---|---|
| 1 | 2 |
| 2 | 3 |
| 3 | 5 |
| 4 | 7.5 |
| 5 or more | 2 people for each room |
Rule 3: Size of the rooms you can sleep in
Your home is overcrowded if the rooms you must sleep in are too small.
Measure the floor space of the rooms that you can sleep in. You'll need a tape measure and a calculator.
1. Measure the length of the room in metres
2. Measure the width of the room in metres
3. Multiply the length and width together to get the floor space in square metres.
Based on the floor space, check the table below to see the highest number of people allowed to sleep in each room.
| Floor space in square metres square feet in brackets | Highest number of people allowed in each room |
|---|---|
| 10.22 square metres 110 square feet or more | 2 |
| 8.36-10.21 square metres 90-109 square feet | 1.5 |
| 6.5-8.35 square metres 70-89 square feet | 1 |
| 4.65-6.5 square metres 50-69 square feet | 0.5 |
| Less than 4.65 square metres 50 square feet | 0 |