Garden Room 25m2 - Rental Query

S

Stoneybroke

New Member
Messages
2
Building a garden room 25m2 in my garden. This will essentially be a self contained unit with kitchen, bathroom and living area with heating etc. It will have it's own entrance via my side garden.

Building is below requirements for planning for use as a garden room. (the bedroom etc are for future proofing the room in case one of my kids wants to move in to save for a mortgage etc)

Is there anyway to generate an income from this above board? Can it be used for Airbnb the odd time?
 
depends where you're building. Check your local council for their definition of "habitable". Dublin co. council for example defines habitable as having a kitchen in it so would need planning
 
Thanks for your replies.
This room will meet all requirements in order to be habitable - it will have a kitchen, washing machine etc. It will also have a shower room and toilet. It will have electric heating.
It is not intended initially for residing in, just for teens to hang out in, but just thinking down the line.
I am based in South Dublin County Councils area.
 
if it’s to be lived in or used for commercial purposes (I.e rented) then it’s not exempt from planning even if below sqm. Adding it to public drains etc for shower and toilet without planning is also debatable.
 
That needs planning, sticking in a kitchen/bathroom/bedroom but saying no one is using it doesn't fly with planners! If anyone complains or council gets wind of it they will make you remove those bits if not the lot. I read these posts regularly on the Log Cabin fb page,
 
Monbretia said:
That needs planning, sticking in a kitchen/bathroom/bedroom but saying no one is using it doesn't fly with planners! If anyone complains or council gets wind of it they will make you remove those bits if not the lot. I read these posts regularly on the Log Cabin fb page,
Click to expand...
Actually, someone I know did all of this ("garden room" with kitchen, bathroom, shower, plumbed etc.). Planning enforcement came out and said "its fine, there's no bedroom". Someone is now living in it and planning enforcement won't do anything. Case closed.

Apparently each council has different definitions of "habitable" and our councils doesn't say a kitchen and bathroom mean habitable
 
flyingfolly said:
Actually, someone I know did all of this ("garden room" with kitchen, bathroom, shower, plumbed etc.). Planning enforcement came out and said "its fine, there's no bedroom". Someone is now living in it and planning enforcement won't do anything. Case closed.

Apparently each council has different definitions of "habitable" and our councils doesn't say a kitchen and bathroom mean habitable
Click to expand...
Interesting! A risky business though, you'd want to be sure which way your local council will go! I see posts where they had to remove a toilet even which to be fair would be handy in a garden room whatever one was using it for, I often wish I had a toilet in the garden somewhere to save me changing shoes etc if I need to go in to use it.
 
Stoneybroke said:
Building a garden room 25m2 in my garden. This will essentially be a self contained unit with kitchen, bathroom and living area with heating etc. It will have it's own entrance via my side garden.

Building is below requirements for planning for use as a garden room. (the bedroom etc are for future proofing the room in case one of my kids wants to move in to save for a mortgage etc)

Is there anyway to generate an income from this above board? Can it be used for Airbnb the odd time?
Click to expand...
If you have a kitchen and bathroom it will be considered as a dwelling. Normally council would expect planning to be applied for if it is a separate unit and designed to be habitable.
 
lff12 said:
If you have a kitchen and bathroom it will be considered as a dwelling. Normally council would expect planning to be applied for if it is a separate unit and designed to be habitable.
Click to expand...
Every council is different in their definitions
 
Why not apply for planning permission?

Assuming you get it, you'll then likely be able to earn up to €14k pa under the rent a room scheme, so costs may be recovered fairly quickly.
 
MrEarl said:
Why not apply for planning permission?

Assuming you get it, you'll then likely be able to earn up to €14k pa under the rent a room scheme, so costs may be recovered fairly quickly.
Click to expand...
It wont be viable under rent a room - its a stand alone building - outside of rent a room.
 
JohnDoyle1973 said:
It wont be viable under rent a room - its a stand alone building - outside of rent a room.
Click to expand...
Fair enough, if that's the case, but I'd explore it - even if it needs to be an extension to your main house, of some description.
 
Bronte said:
The rent a room is very specific in that the unit has to be part of the house. This means detached buildings in the garden don't count. But a garage at the side converted with it's own door etc is ok. Or a basement also with it's own door is fine.

As regards planning, if they apply for this and get refused then they will be in trouble if they try and rent it. Whereas if they don't apply for planning they will be unlikely to come to the notice of the planning office at all.
Click to expand...
Garage at side once it is part of the main house is permissible. If they dont apply for planning they will still get caught when they go to rent it as all rentals have to be RTB registered except Rent a Room but that has to be declared on your tax return anyway so Revenue will see there is a rental in place. You cant rent without registration except if rent a room.
 
Bronte said:
I wrote 'has to be part of the house'. I rented out my converted garage, part of the house, with it's own door and registered with the RTB only because I was not resident. There was a separate issue later in relation to LPT that I've on another thread.
Click to expand...
If you are not resident there then you cant claim rent a room ( I dont know if you did/do but thats the general rule - has to be your PPR) If not rent a room and a regular tenancy you have to register it anyway whether you live there or not. ( there are exemptions but not many)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top