Overcrowding

Find out what you can do if you’re living in overcrowded conditions and who qualifies as legally overcrowded.

Your home may be legally overcrowded if there are not enough rooms or space for the number of people who live there.

Many people who contact us find that they are not legally overcrowded even though their living conditions are very cramped. 

Whether you are a private sector or social housing tenant you will need to know the following information to help you identify if you are in an overcrowded property.

How many people can occupy a room?

Under housing law, there are two ways to calculate if your home is overcrowded.

  1. By the number of rooms for people to sleep in. This is called the room standard.
  2. By the amount of space in the home and the number of people living in it. This is called the space standard.

Statutory overcrowding is when there are too many people living in your home using either of the calculations.

Room standard

No of roomsNo of people allowed
12
23
35
47.5
5+2 per extra room

This standard does not include children under 10.

Space standard

Floor areaNo of people allowed
10.2 square metres (110 square feet)2
8.4-10.1 square metres (90-19 square feet)1.5
6.5-8.3 square metres (70-89 square feet)1
4.6-6.4 square metres (50-69 square feet)0.5

The floor area should be measured per room and the total of occupiers totalled for the whole dwelling.

People counted are as follows:

  • Baby under 1 equals 0 people
  • Child 1 to 10 years equals ½ a person
  • Aged over 10 years equals 1 person.

Can anyone share a room?

Anyone over the age of 10 should not have to share a room with someone of the opposite sex, unless they are a couple.

However, mothers can share with a daughter or fathers with a son.

Where can I find other accommodation?

Private tenants

As a private tenant it is unlikely that you can make your home larger so you may have to consider other housing options.

We would be happy to help you if you need assistance so call us and speak to one of our advisers.

Please contact our Housing Advice team on 020 7926 4200 (9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday).

Council and housing association tenants

Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) are independent housing organisations registered with the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) under the Housing Act 1996. RSLs include housing associations, trusts, co-operatives, companies and council accommodation.

It is the responsibility of the RSL to manage the customers complaint and overcrowding concerns in the first instance. Once you have followed your RSL's full complaints procedure and the matter is still not resolved then you must contact your local housing ombudsman.

If you are currently on the Lambeth Housing Register and have applied through our Transfer list here is what you need to know about your application status:

Band Classification

  • Band B: If you have informed us that you are overcrowded by two or more bedrooms
  • Band C: If you are overcrowded by one bedroom, unless you qualify for a higher priority band (A or B) due to other urgent housing needs

To find suitable homes, please bid for homes through our Choice Based Lettings system. Please be aware that there may be a long wait due to limited housing availability and a high number of applicants.

Updating your application

If you are a tenant of a Lambeth Council-owned home and believe your application is in the wrong band:

  • Contact your Housing Officer for advice and assistance. This will help ensure your application is up to date.

If you are a tenant of a Lambeth Council-owned home and have not completed a Transfer Application:

Complete the Transfer Application

If you are not the named tenant of a Lambeth Council-owned home and believe your application is in the wrong band, ensure your application is current:

Complete the Change of Circumstances form

If you are not a tenant of a Lambeth Council-owned home and do not have a Housing Register application

Apply for the Housing Register

Reporting overcrowding

Report overcrowding in your home