France allows toilets in kitchens for first time

Doubtless to the joy of Paris landlords, tireless in their quest to redefine the acceptable size of an apartment, French government ministers Ségolène Royal and Sylvia Pinel passed a decree on November 6th saying that toilet facilities no longer have to be separated from the kitchen or living room.

In what the bill describes as “a process of simplification of regulations,” the change to the building code does away with “the prohibition of direct communication between the closets and kitchens and living rooms,” which will allow contractors to build new toilets in living accommodation, Metro news reported.

Previously, the law had required that toilets were not directly accessible from living rooms or kitchens. While the new law might be welcomed by home builders on a budget, if you don't want to see your privacy go down the pan you might want to do your flat-hunting before December 1st, when the bill comes into force.

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