diff --git a/synapse/storage/room.py b/synapse/storage/room.py
index 71bae1545..a16d32192 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/room.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/room.py
@@ -15,11 +15,9 @@
 
 from twisted.internet import defer
 
-from sqlite3 import IntegrityError
-
 from synapse.api.errors import StoreError
 
-from ._base import SQLBaseStore, Table
+from ._base import SQLBaseStore
 
 import collections
 import logging
@@ -27,8 +25,9 @@ import logging
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
-OpsLevel = collections.namedtuple("OpsLevel", (
-    "ban_level", "kick_level", "redact_level")
+OpsLevel = collections.namedtuple(
+    "OpsLevel",
+    ("ban_level", "kick_level", "redact_level",)
 )
 
 
@@ -47,13 +46,14 @@ class RoomStore(SQLBaseStore):
             StoreError if the room could not be stored.
         """
         try:
-            yield self._simple_insert(RoomsTable.table_name, dict(
-                room_id=room_id,
-                creator=room_creator_user_id,
-                is_public=is_public
-            ))
-        except IntegrityError:
-            raise StoreError(409, "Room ID in use.")
+            yield self._simple_insert(
+                RoomsTable.table_name,
+                {
+                    "room_id": room_id,
+                    "creator": room_creator_user_id,
+                    "is_public": is_public,
+                }
+            )
         except Exception as e:
             logger.error("store_room with room_id=%s failed: %s", room_id, e)
             raise StoreError(500, "Problem creating room.")
@@ -66,9 +66,10 @@ class RoomStore(SQLBaseStore):
         Returns:
             A namedtuple containing the room information, or an empty list.
         """
-        query = RoomsTable.select_statement("room_id=?")
-        return self._execute(
-            "get_room", RoomsTable.decode_single_result, query, room_id,
+        return self._simple_select_one(
+            table=RoomsTable.table_name,
+            keyvalues={"room_id": room_id},
+            retcols=RoomsTable.fields,
         )
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
@@ -196,7 +197,7 @@ class RoomStore(SQLBaseStore):
         defer.returnValue((name, aliases))
 
 
-class RoomsTable(Table):
+class RoomsTable(object):
     table_name = "rooms"
 
     fields = [
@@ -204,5 +205,3 @@ class RoomsTable(Table):
         "is_public",
         "creator"
     ]
-
-    EntryType = collections.namedtuple("RoomEntry", fields)
diff --git a/synapse/storage/transactions.py b/synapse/storage/transactions.py
index 0b8a3b7a0..b777395e0 100644
--- a/synapse/storage/transactions.py
+++ b/synapse/storage/transactions.py
@@ -46,15 +46,19 @@ class TransactionStore(SQLBaseStore):
         )
 
     def _get_received_txn_response(self, txn, transaction_id, origin):
-        where_clause = "transaction_id = ? AND origin = ?"
-        query = ReceivedTransactionsTable.select_statement(where_clause)
+        result = self._simple_select_one_txn(
+            txn,
+            table=ReceivedTransactionsTable.table_name,
+            keyvalues={
+                "transaction_id": transaction_id,
+                "origin": origin,
+            },
+            retcols=ReceivedTransactionsTable.fields,
+            allow_none=True,
+        )
 
-        txn.execute(query, (transaction_id, origin))
-
-        results = ReceivedTransactionsTable.decode_results(txn.fetchall())
-
-        if results and results[0].response_code:
-            return (results[0].response_code, results[0].response_json)
+        if result and result.response_code:
+            return result["response_code"], result["response_json"]
         else:
             return None