Making part of house into rentable annex

megadishu

I am buying a property which has a single storey extension with a main room, utility room and shower room. It also has a door to the outside which currently is to the back garden but that can easily be used as a front door by going down the path by the side of the house.

Do I need permission to block up the one door leading into the hallway of the main house. I am sure it must be fire and noise proof. Also can a back door be officially used as a front door?

I can provide parking accessed by the annex path from its own section of garden. The house has a garage and then a part of the garden could provide 2 extra parking spaces. These spaces can be accessed via the rough driveway that leads to the main house garage, neighbours garages and parking, directly off the common rough drive without going over anybody's land nor over kerbs just flat. I would keep the parking permeable putting down weed restricted and then gravel. Again do I need permission?

I assume a utility room with plumbing can be used as a small kitchen?

Thank you.

lincroft1710

You definitely will need planning permission if you are intending to create a separate dwelling as well as building regulation approval. Speak to the planners and first find out their policy on such conversions.

HAMISH_MCTAVISH

megadishu wrote: »

Do I need permission.

That depends what you want to do.

If you are planning to create a completely separate flat, with it's own title deeds, entrances, access, address, etc, that could then be sold or rented independently of the main house, then yes. You need planning permission.

If you're planning to make use of the annex to let to what will effectively be lodgers, and making only minor internal changes to facilitate that, then it's probable that you don't need planning permission.

If it's something in between, i.e., involving changing entrances, blocking off doors, etc, then you might.

Speak to a solicitor and/or reputable builder who should be able to steer you in the right direction.

G_M

Why are you re-posting the same question......?

Fire_Fox

If it will be self contained accommodation with it's own entrance, you will need to consider planning permission, elfin safety, utility supplies, unit will need to be registered for council tax. See the Planning Portal don't rely on unqualified opinions on a forum.

megadishu

The landlord would not be living in the main house but both parts of property independently rented out, the only doorway between safely blocked up but with a view that it can be reinstated. At present the idea would not be to make it 2 separate properties but to rent out as 2 separate units but I may move into the property in the much longer term as I have an illness which may necessitate not having stairs and less to cope with so a one bed annex is there for if and / or when ...

pmlindyloo

You can telephone your local planning department at your council offices. I have always found them to be extremely useful and helpful.

You could talk to a builder first but my experience is that some builders are loathe to get the planning department/building control involved as it creates a lot of work for them as they have to abide by their rules and regulations.

Seeking the correct permissions is vital as they can ask you to tear it down and start again. You also require all the relevant paperwork for when you sell (many threads on here where householders have not done it properly and cannot sell)

We had part of our house changed into a granny annex. We required planning permission and obviously building regulations. It is a complex business and the planning permission took weeks to get.

This was 13 years ago and the annex was not going to be used as a separate unit. Yours is much more complicated.

Things may have changed since then but do not take any 'short cuts' as regards this as it you would regret it later.

Fire_Fox

megadishu wrote: »

The landlord would not be living in the main house but both parts of property independently rented out, the only doorway between safely blocked up but with a view that it can be reinstated. At present the idea would not be to make it 2 separate properties but to rent out as 2 separate units but I may move into the property in the much longer term as I have an illness which may necessitate not having stairs and less to cope with so a one bed annex is there for if and / or when ...

You are making two separate properties, the connecting door alone does not stop it being that. Council tax rules are quite clear about what constitutes a self contained unit, you are even intending on letting separately, the tenants will not be sharing facilities like a kitchen and bathroom.