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Question Title: No handrail on stairs
| Question: 407 |
| I have just been round to look at a lovely old cottage which the landlord wants to let out. It really is a gem of a property and I'm sure that I will have no difficulty finding a tenant. The only problem that I can foresee is that the staircase which is in a sort of dining hall doesn't have a handrail on either side. Can I let a property in this position?
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| Answer: |
Part K1 of the Building Regulations 2000 requires that, with stairs less than 1 metre wide, there should be a handrail on at least one side. The same provision provides that flights of stairs should be guarded where there is a drop of more than 600mm and, except in a building which is not likely to be used by children under 5, the guarding on a flight should prevent children from being caught in the guarding. Whilst these regulations cover new properties or recent conversion work done to an existing building they are not a strict legal requirement for older properties which pre-date the current building regulations.
However, they are a clear indication of the current required necessary standards and, should an accident occur in a property that did not meet these standards, then a claim in negligence against the landlord is more likely to be sustained. It would be worth ensuring that the property met current Building Regulation standards. [For more information on the Building Regulations see the Department of Communities and Local Government website at www.dclg.gov.uk].
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References:
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Hyperlinks:
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Letting Factsheet No 36 |
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factsheet-36
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For more information, discuss on the Forum
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