Bathroom located outside flat in period house

It is what it is. If the bathroom is for your exclusive use while being separate to the unit may not ideal, it woukd not ve a deal maker if the price was right.

Recently stayed in an Airbnb, again a period house newly done up where two bedrooms shared a kitchen and toilet. Room charge was reasonable bathroom and kitchen were very modern.

Back to your house OP it is what it is. You complaining will not change. Landlord is unlikely to change the layout especially if a period house and I am not sure if you read the regulations correct

I am not sure if you are totally correct the exact wording

"a water closet with a dedicated wash hand basin with hot and cold water

a separate room, for the exclusive use of each rented unit, with a toilet, a washbasin and a fixed bath or shower with hot and cold water"

From my reading of the above it must be a separate room to the living and sleeping but it dose not mention it has to be within the unit it just has to be for your exclusive use

Why do people get so worked up about these things?

Either take it or leave it.

What difference does it make if it 100% complies with current legislation or not.

No, it won't.

Because they bypass planning rules; and only planning rules - not rental standards.

The place is not compliant, no amount of wishing that away will make it so.

if it was me, and I liked the flat and this was the only real issue, I would take a chance and move in! What’s the worst case scenario?

The chances of an inspection are slim. Even if there was one and the flat was condemned, you would be given loads of time to find somewhere new. This is not a safety issue. But I obviously can’t make that call for you.

I know someone who had to move to another flat in the same house because the council insisted that the flat she was living in did not have the bathroom inside and was uninhabitable. Her old flat is now a store! Crisis or not, the rules are the rules!