Residential units

Approved Document O: Overheating, published by HM Government in 2021, defines residential units as: 'Habitable rooms or a suite of habitable rooms. Examples of a residential unit include, but are not limited to, a flat or rooms that are similar to a flat in care homes or student halls of residence.’

The Building Safety Act 2022 defines a residential unit as:

• (a) a dwelling, or
• (b) any other unit of living accommodation

Criteria for determining whether a new building that is being designed and constructed is a "higher-risk building", published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Published on 19 October 2023 and updated on 18 October 2024, states:

A residential unit is a dwelling or any other unit of living accommodation and is defined in the Regulations. Examples of a residential unit are a flat, a studio flat, a home of multiple occupation, shared accommodation within university halls (e.g. a bedroom with shared kitchen and bathroom) or a unit within a supported accommodation building. A residential unit can be found within any type of building and could have any tenure. Privately owned, private rented and social rented units are all considered residential units under the higher-risk regime.

For more information see: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/criteria-for-determining-whether-a-new-building-that-is-being-designed-and-constructed-is-a-higher-risk-building

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings

• Approved Document O.
• Dwelling.
• Habitable room.
• Living accommodation.
• Principal habitable room
• Residential.
• Room for residential purposes.
• Shared residential accommodation.