Person—household single/couple status, code N

Guide for use:

A relationship status is assigned to each member of the household, including children.

CODE 1 Single status OR couple relationship with non-household member

This code includes individuals that identify as being single, and those that are involved in a couple relationship but the partner is not a member of the household (i.e. not nominated on the tenancy agreement).

CODE 2 Couple relationship with another household member

This code includes individuals that identify as being in a couple relationship, and live in the same dwelling (i.e. both nominated as a household member on the tenancy agreement).

CODE 9 Not stated/Inadequately described

This code is not for use in primary data collections.

Comments:

This item is used to determine whether overcrowding exists in a dwelling, under the Canadian National Occupancy Standard (CNOS). CNOS guidelines use age, sex and relationship status of the tenants and number of bedrooms in the dwelling, to determine whether the household is overcrowded.

The standard specifies:

• no more than two people shall share a bedroom

• parents or couples may share a bedroom

• children under 5 years, either of the same sex or opposite sex may share a bedroom

• children under 18 years of the same sex may share a bedroom

• a child aged 5 to 17 years should not share a bedroom with a child under 5 of the opposite sex

• single adults 18 years and over and any unpaired children require a separate bedroom.

If the total number of bedrooms required by a household exceeds the number of bedrooms available to the household by one or more, then the household is deemed overcrowded.