Toilets in the workplace

[megann]

Hello All,

looking for a little bit of advise. Firstly i am female and my company shares a medium building with 3 other companies, all of which have their own toilets within their offices apart from myself in my office. We have a male toilet in our office however no female toilet. I would use the communal female toilet upstairs until a new company moved in and they asked the landlord to turn the only female communal toilet into a male toilet (even though they already have plenty male toilets so this was not a legal requirement) The landlord changed this to a male toilet without warning me. When i discovered it was no longer a female toilet asked him what toilet i should now use he said i will need to walk through another companies office and use their female toilet. Am i wrong to feel like this is not appropriate? I do not feel comfortable doing this as we have no association to the other company or know the people within the other company nor is it acceptable for any customers of ours to have to go through another company to use their toilets. There is now no female toilet for my company nor a communal female toilet. Am i overreacting? a little advise would be greatly appreciate. Thank you

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

Depending on the age of the building, I do not think that there is a requirement to have separate M/F toilets.

If you are saying that all toilets are now male, you do have an issue you can pursue. If you are saying that there are general toilets for both sexes to use, I do not think that is a legal issue.

What does your employer say about this?

 

[megann]

Depending on the age of the building, I do not think that there is a requirement to have separate M/F toilets.

If you are saying that all toilets are now male, you do have an issue you can pursue. If you are saying that there are general toilets for both sexes to use, I do not think that is a legal issue.

What does your employer say about this?

there are no unisex toilets, the toilets that i used to use (female communal toilets) have been changed to male only toilets and the landlord is saying that i can use the female toilet within another company at the other end of the building (these are not communal toilets, these are another company's toilets within their office which we have no connection to nor do we know the company) therefore the building has no communal female toilets nor unisex toilets which at the moment is leaving me with no toilet to use. My employer is out of the country at the moment, that is why i am seeking advise so we can take action upon his return. At the moment i am using the male toilet within my office and putting a sign up so no one enters while i am in but this is not sustainable particularly if we have customers or suppliers in.

 

[fisicx]

What does your employer say about this?

Agreed. Talk to your employer as this sort of thing would normally be covered in the lease. Until they return to the UK you will just have to use whatever toilets are available.

How did you not notice the renovations taking place? Or have they just changed the label on the door?

 

[megann]

Agreed. Talk to your employer as this sort of thing would normally be covered in the lease. Until they return to the UK you will just have to use whatever toilets are available.

How did you not notice the renovations taking place? Or have they just changed the label on the door?

they only changed the label on the door. As it is a communal toilet it is not situated within my office so i did not see them remove the sanitary bins and all my soap etc and if i am honest i didn't even notice they changed the sign as its not something i would be looking for. Only noticed when i went in and as i say the sanitary bins and soap etc has been removed then i seen the label on the door was now male when i left. Disappointing the landlord did not mention anything.

 

[fisicx]

In which case you just need to wait for your employer to return

 

[Newchodge]

there are no unisex toilets, the toilets that i used to use (female communal toilets) have been changed to male only toilets and the landlord is saying that i can use the female toilet within another company at the other end of the building (these are not communal toilets, these are another company's toilets within their office which we have no connection to nor do we know the company) therefore the building has no communal female toilets nor unisex toilets which at the moment is leaving me with no toilet to use. My employer is out of the country at the moment, that is why i am seeking advise so we can take action upon his return. At the moment i am using the male toilet within my office and putting a sign up so no one enters while i am in but this is not sustainable particularly if we have customers or suppliers in.

How many people are employed in your office space?

 

[megann]

How many people are employed in your office space?

In my office space there are 4 males and myself and the male toilets within our office are used for our office as well as any visitors, workers, contractors etc so they are essentially a communal male toilet which is the reason for the apprehension to use them but i am needing to for the time being.

 

[Newchodge]

In my office space there are 4 males and myself and the male toilets within our office are used for our office as well as any visitors, workers, contractors etc so they are essentially a communal male toilet which is the reason for the apprehension to use them but i am needing to for the time being.

If there are 5 people in the office the legal requirement is 1 unisex or female only toilet. The 'male only' toilet needs rebranding as unisex.

How many toilets should a workplace have?

HSE's relevant legislation is the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992. Regulation 20 covers Sanitary conveniences

www.hse.gov.uk

 

[DontAsk]

Does it not lock from the inside?

 

[megann]

Does it not lock from the inside?

it is a male toilet with urinals and a single cubicle which locks however i would not like to walk into the bathroom when there is a male using said urinals

 

[Newchodge]

it is a male toilet with urinals and a single cubicle which locks however i would not like to walk into the bathroom when there is a male using said urinals

Then put a lock on the main door and require that everyone uses it.

 

[eteb3]

Straight up sex discrimination.

Earl Shilton Town Council v Miller
“Women were provided with inadequate toilet facilities in comparison to men.”

(Miller was expected to use male toilets and put a sign on the door when she did.)

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/63d8076fd3bf7f252a730a11/Earl_Shilton_Town_Council_-v-_Ms_K_Miller__2023__EAT_5.pdf

Newchodge’s lock idea may do the trick

 

[megann]

Then put a lock on the main door and require that everyone uses it.

I wish it was as easy as that but unfortunately the landlord will not allow that as it is a communal male toilet that is not solely for 1 person to use at a time and as it is communal we can have a sign that says everyone must lock but visitors etc may not comply and we can not police this. We can not put a lock on as it is not our property.

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

We have a male toilet in our office however no female toilet.

So, is that male toilet communal?

Just put a lock on it! If it is in your office, what part of the lease says the landlord can control how it is used?