This is one of my biggest gripes with the U.K,the stingy use of space and tiny accommodation we are given for which we are expected to pay sky high prices for! You have to be a hobbit to enjoy some of the properties especially in London. It's now been officially acknowledged by building standards bodies below. People would sometimes counter argue that they are built that way because of a lack of land. Well that argument has now been shown to be false as most builders actually build below minimum requirement which means they have been trying to maximize profits at the expense of our comfort!

Culled from Yahoo

The UK has the smallest homes in Western Europe, as developers undershoot guidelines on space requirements.

The average newly built one-bedroom home is now just the same size as an Underground carriage.

This cramped reality amounts to just 46 square metres, and falls 4 square metres short of the recommended minimum, according to research by the Royal Institute of British Architects (Riba).

The missing 4 square metres is enough room for a single bed, bedside table and dressing table with stool.

New three-bedroom homes are squeezed even further, with the average 8 square metres short of minimum space requirements. The lost space is enough for a single bedroom with furniture.

New homes in the UK are now 15% smaller than in Ireland and 80% smaller than Denmark.

It’s of little surprise that shrinking new-build homes are now a last resort for around a third of buyers, according to Riba’s research.

Unlike other parts of the world, there are no compulsory standards governing the size of new homes in England and Wales. And there is only basic guidance relating to the size and number of windows.

Households are now squeezed into ever smaller properties, as the space of a new home is 9 square metres less than the overall average property size, which includes older homes.

Nearly half of homeowners in the UK say they can’t fit all of their furniture or move furniture around into different layouts in their home.

But light and space are “basic needs” – not luxuries – that affect health, happiness and wellbeing, argues Riba.

The institute is calling on the Government to implement national minimum standards on space and natural light in its upcoming review of housing standards in England.

It warns that decisions could result in the current ‘meagre housing standards’ being reduced or even abolished.

Riba president Angela Brady said: “The country is in the grip of the worst housing crisis in decades and there is an urgent need to provide more affordable, quality homes. In their rush to build the Government must avoid the temptation to reduce current standards and give the go-ahead for builders to produce another generation of poor quality homes, without adequate space and natural light.”

Television presenter Kevin McCloud is supporting the campaign, saying: “This isn't rocket science. We all instinctively respond to the opportunity for a view, a connection with the outdoors, fresh air, light and space.

“A return to minimum space standards is crucial for the health and wellbeing of the people who will be living in new build homes."

The research comes after calls for more bungalow building from the think-tank Policy Exchange.


http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/cramped-uk-homes-are-smallest-in-western-europe-095934100.html


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Infact I was so shocked when I visited UK for the first time at some of the neighborhoods we visited, even the affluent ones, were so tight! I don't suspect it will get better...if anything, future builds will get even tighter as developers try to get the best bang for their buck. And if people have no alternatives, they will keep buying these 'houses/flats'.

JeSoul: Infact I was so shocked when I visited UK for the first time at some of the neighborhoods we visited, even the affluent ones, were so tight! I don't suspect it will get better...if anything, future builds will get even tighter as developers try to get the best bang for their buck. And if people have no alternatives, they will keep buying these 'houses/flats'.

Very true,they are very set in their ways in and it's the people that suffer.