windowless rooms

[woolybanana]

A chum of mine wants to turn a property he has just bought into a gite, as well as using it himself for off-season holidays. To do this he wants to turn a two bedroomed property into four bedrooms by dividing rooms, but this would mean that one bedroom would have no window. Is this legal, out of interest? Are there any norms applied to holiday lets in France?

[Russethouse]

Would anyone want to rent a property with a windowless room ?

[woolybanana]

One would hope not, but then, who knows?

[Russethouse]

Maybe ex offenders would feel at home [;-)]

[woolybanana]

Perhaps he has in mind to house some of the people illegally entering Europe.

Certainly, I don't see how one could command £1500 per week high season with a windowless bedroom.

[EuroTrash]

I can't see gites de France et al wanting to give their stars or flowers or whatever they give, to a windowless guest room. And depending on how he sets the gite up, not having accreditation could put him at a financial disadvantage.

[idun]

 On the only occasion we have been to Quebec City, we were put in a tiny room in an expensive hotel. When we complained, they put us in a far bigger room with no windows! Still the room was big and we only had one more night there, so put up with it.

No way would I ever stay anywhere without a window for more than a night.

Incidentally you can get these solar tube things, that bring light from the roof. No idea how good they are though.

[Russethouse]

Could they not change it to a big upmarket shower/bathroom which would add to the properties appeal ? Lots of bathrooms are windowless and are fine...

 

[sid]

The usual solution would be a Velux in the roof; I've certainly slept in rooms like that... only the warder kept me awake.

[Pierre ZFP]

Windowless rooms were popular in Austria recently or so I read

[Loiseau]

funny you should say that about Quebec, idun. I stayed in an otherwise delightful B&B in Quebec City, and my room had no window, though its bathroom did.

The Canadian friends with whom I was travelling offered to swap rooms, but as the husband suffered from panic attacks it was decided better not...

Going back to the OP, I suppose a velux if it's possible, or else a glazed door offering "borrowed light" could be a solution.

Do all gites have to be registered locally now? Not just the GdF and Clevacances ones?

Angela

[mint]

As I see it, it won't be the lack of natural light that would be the problem.  If he is letting to PGs, it would be the lack of an escape route in case of fire or other emergency.

Depends on the configuration of the rooms.  If, for example, a kitchen adjoins the windowless room, or you need to pass the kitchen (often the room where fires start) to get outside, there would need be an alternative protected escape route.

Even veluxes need to be of a size to enable someone get out through them.  This is ....er.....a very hot topic.....especially when there is a fire, I guess[I]

[Gardengirl]

I think it's Easyrooms or something where the basic rooms have no window.

In my book, a room without a window is a cupboard!

Russethouse's bathroom idea is a good one - 2 good-sized rooms with ensuite bathrooms would appeal to a couple of couples holidaying together.

Maybe also separate out a part to be a walk-in wardrobe, although all these things would cost a lot more than just dividing rooms in half.

[Théière]

[quote user="idun"]

Incidentally you can get these solar tube things, that bring light from the roof. No idea how good they are though.

[/quote]

Sun tubes, sun tunnels and they are very good but that doesn't cover the required fire escape from a bedroom or the air requirements