Overcrowding in family homes
A house is said to be overcrowded in the following situations:
- Sexual overcrowding:
- This occurs if it is necessary for a boy and a girl aged ten years or older to sleep in the same room
- Room standard:
- This occurs if any of the limits in the table below are exceeded for the whole dwelling
| Number of sleeping rooms* | Number of people per room** |
|---|---|
| 1 | 2 |
| 2 | 3 |
| 3 | 5 |
| 4 | 7.5 |
| 5 | 10 |
| Above five rooms | Allow two people per room |
* Living rooms, dining rooms and bedrooms are all deemed generally suitable as sleeping rooms.
** Children over one year and less than ten years of age should be counted as a half.
- Space standard:
- This occurs if any of the limits in the table below are exceeded for the whole dwelling
| Size of room | Number of people per room** |
|---|---|
| 110 square feet or more | 2 |
| 90 to 110 square feet | 1.5 |
| 70 to 90 square feet | 1 |
| 50 to 70 square feet | 0.5 |
** Children over one year and less than 10 years of age should be counted as a half.
A room less than 50 square feet is not suitable as a sleeping room. Infants under one year of age should not be counted.
Further information
If you think your home is overcrowded, contact the Housing Services team to arrange an inspection.
Overcrowding in houses in multiple occupation (HMO)
Overcrowding in HMOs is managed using our Adopted Standards for Houses in Multiple Occupation.
How to make a housing complaint
If you are a tenant living in council housing, you can make a complaint about your home or the housing services you receive.
Before making a complaint, check if the issue can be resolved by reporting it directly to us. This includes things such as repairs needed in your home, missed appointments or checks for damp and mould. You can do this through our report it service or by searching our website.
If your concern cannot be resolved in this way, you can use our tenants council housing and service complaints process. There are also further options if you can't do it online.
If your complaint is not about council housing or housing services, please visit our complaints, compliments and feedback page for more information. If you are unsure which process applies, email: customerservicecomplaints@swindon.gov.uk.