Minimum Standards

Basic Equipment & Facilities For Rental Housing

Division Of Student Affairs; Western Michigan University

Water-Heating Equipment

Every dwelling should have portable water-heating equipment that is properly installed and maintained. It should be capable of heating water to at least 120 degrees Fahrenheit when drawn from any source.

Bedrooms

Bedrooms should have latchable doors. There should be at least one electrical outlet and one ceiling or wall light fixture. Each bedroom should have a permanent source to the rest of the dwelling without passing through another bedroom or a bathroom.

Kitchen Facilities

Kitchen units should contain the following:

• A sink with hot and cold water.

• At least 8 square feet of work surface area with at least 4 feet adjacent to or part of the sink unit.

• At least 40 cubic feet of dry storage area.

• At least 2 electrical outlets, one accessible to the refrigerator.

• A minimum of 60 watts of incandescent or equivalent fluorescent lighting to light work areas.

• At least 36 inches between work centers or 30 inches between a work area and a wall.

• A floor covering which is cleanable, odor-free and stain- resistant.

• A cleanable, nonporous wall and ceiling surface ()unless there is a dropped ceiling).

• Cooking appliances and refrigerators free of deterioration and corrosion and connected to fuel and power sources. Bathrooms

Bathroom Facilities

Bathrooms should contain the following:

• A flush toilet, sink and bathtub or shower with hot and cold water.

• A door which latches and provides privacy.

• A light fixture with a nonconductive switch.

• At least one electrical outlet within 6 feet of the sink (not a part of the light fixture)

• At least one window or a minimum 90-cubic-feet-per-minute- rated exhaust fan.

• A cleanable floor covering.

• A cleanable, nonporous wall and ceiling finish.

Common Areas

Corridors should be illuminated at all times. There should be lighted exit signs when the building serves an area of 5,000 square feet or more.

Electrical outlets supplying laundry equipment should be grounded or the appliance should be grounded. Washers should not discharge into the floor drains. Gas dryers should be vented to the outside.

All common areas should be secured from access by unauthorized persons, and doors supplied with hardware and locks.

Areas used for storage, equipment, and/or utility service should be supplied with lighting.

Nothing should be stored in a common area without the owner's consent.