permanent caravan living

ankspon

Can i put a caravan in my parents garden and live in it,they own there home and i've been told if i use there house facilities(toilet)it will only be deemed as an extension and therefore can be used all year round.Any truth in this?.
I've also read of farmers and land owners who will rent a space out to you but i cannot find any links etc,thanks.

PasturesNew

I believe that if you live in a caravan, in somebody's garden, where the accommodation is used as over-flow from the main house, so you can wander in/out of the main house and cook meals, have a bath, use their loo, whatever ... that's legal.

But you can't live separately in the caravan in the garden.

It doesn't have to be a caravan, it can be any structure. So long as it's not breaking planning permission rules. So lots of garden lodges/sheds/summerhouses/similar would also be OK.

ankspon

Thanks,is there a size limit?

bigbigmamamoo

the shelter website has information on this I think

Cannon_Fodder

I think you will need planning permission. But it may vary by region/authority.

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/wales/public/planningpermission/permission/

"The following are common examples of when you will need to for apply for planning permission:

You want to divide off part of your house for use as a separate home (for example, a self-contained flat or bed-sit) or use a caravan in your garden as a home for someone else. (But you do not need planning permission to let one or two of your rooms to lodgers.)"

PasturesNew

Cannon_Fodder wrote: »

I think you will need planning permission. But it may vary by region/authority.

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/wales/public/planningpermission/permission/

"The following are common examples of when you will need to for apply for planning permission:

You want to divide off part of your house for use as a separate home (for example, a self-contained flat or bed-sit) or use a caravan in your garden as a home for someone else. (But you do not need planning permission to let one or two of your rooms to lodgers.)"

Any structure in the garden might need planning permission, irrespective of whether it's a big tool shed, garage, studio, home office, playroom or summer house.

But, the small print to watch for is self-contained. If the person in the structure in the garden isn't self-contained, but the room's just being used as overflow space, then planning permission isn't required for that specific purpose. And a simple touring caravan, in the garden, mains lead down the garden, they pop up to the house for the loo/snout through the fridge/get their mail, would be legal.

There's a fine line and detail needs to be checked, but I think it's OK. Truth is - if the garden here were larger I'd be out there now in a summer house, or caravan, using it as a studio/bedsit and just coming indoors for the loo.