Definition
A dwelling unit is the accommodation availed of by a household for its residential purpose. It may be an entire structure or a part thereof or consisting of more than one structure. There may be cases of more than one household occupying a single structure such as those living in independent flats or sharing a single housing unit, in which case, there will be as many dwelling units as the number of households sharing the structure. There may also be cases of one household occupying more than one structure (i.e. detached structures for sitting, sleeping, cooking, bathing etc) for its housing accommodation. In this case, all the structures together constitute a single dwelling unit. In general, a dwelling unit consists of living room, kitchen, store, bath, latrine, garage, open and closed veranda etc. A structure or a portion thereof used exclusively for non-residential purposes or let out to other households does not form part of the dwelling unit of the household under consideration. However, a portion of a structure used for both residential and non-residential purposes is treated as part of the dwelling unit except when the use of such portion for residential purpose is very nominal. The dwelling unit covers all pucca, semi-pucca and katcha structures used by a household. Households living more or less regularly under bridges, in pipes, under staircase, in purely temporary flimsy improvisations built by the roadside (which are liable to be removed at any moment) etc., are considered to have no dwelling.
