Steps to take in order to convert a summer house into a dwelling

timea

  Hi, I bought a house in 2017 and because we had to do a full refurbishment we build first a summer house where to stay while we worked at the main house. My husband being a builder did all the works , the structure is all timber on a concrete base but the walls are insulated , the floor as well and we have a warm flat roof. He made the connection for the electric and water from the house and we have a bathroom and shower and for the heating he installed an air unit which gives hot and cold air. Also the internal area had plasterboard with plaster all over so it looks like a proper house. We were very happy and we had to make it quite big as we had to stay there with our 5 children for at least 6 months. We didn't do any planning application even though it has 60 sqm.  
    After we moved in the main house, part of the summer house was used by my parent to live there and I also used a room as an office for my work. My question will be what steps do I need to take now in order to convert this into a dwelling. My parent have moved but I will like to rent this to someone else and to do that I want to make sure this is considered to be a dwelling not just a summer house. I need to mention that there is an alley on the side of the main house that leads to the summer house and also I got enough parking space on the driveway to accommodate 4 cars. Thank you . 

ashe

Have you registered it for council tax? If it has all facilities I think you would need to do that 

Bradden

I believe you will also need planning permision for an outside building with sleeping accomodation.

[Deleted User]

As above, you will need retrospective planning permission and the VOA will need to value it to assign a band. 

Does it have a self contained kitchen? (Sorry if I have missed that). If it is classed as separate accommodation with a kitchen and bathroom, you will have a tenant. If there is no kitchen and they would have to use yours, they would be a lodger. Basically tenants have more protection from eviction than lodgers. 
To rent out to a tenant, you will need to provide EPC and electrical safety certification. 
The biggest issue you will face is electric and water being fed from your main house supply. How would their usage be accounted for if there are no separate meters for the rental property. You could include water and electric rates in the rent but with the energy price increases coming up, this arrangement could get messy. 

timea

[Deleted User] said:

As above, you will need retrospective planning permission and the VOA will need to value it to assign a band. 

Does it have a self contained kitchen? (Sorry if I have missed that). If it is classed as separate accommodation with a kitchen and bathroom, you will have a tenant. If there is no kitchen and they would have to use yours, they would be a lodger. Basically tenants have more protection from eviction than lodgers. 
To rent out to a tenant, you will need to provide EPC and electrical safety certification. 
The biggest issue you will face is electric and water being fed from your main house supply. How would their usage be accounted for if there are no separate meters for the rental property. You could include water and electric rates in the rent but with the energy price increases coming up, this arrangement could get messy. 

    We installed a kitchen in 2020 which has a sink and an electric hob. 
    When you say I need to put a retrospective planning application , my question is should I go for a retrospective for a summer house or go for a dwelling ? 
    At the moment that house is empty , would you advise me to go and ask to VOA to do an assessment and see if I need to pay council tax ? I believe if this is the case then the planning won't be able to refuse the conversion into a dwelling. 
   I don't mind to apply for separate connections or to do the EPC and electric certificates  if they will approve the conversion. 

Bendy_House

Could you rent it out as a holiday home instead? Are you in a touristy area, or near AONBs?

More work since a greater turn-over, yes, but I think everything else should be soooo much easier; no need for retrospective, no need for separate CT, probably no need for special insurance(?), much higher weekly rent, no need to bring it up to a particular standard - which a retro most likely will expect, and stuff like that.

I think.

timea

Bendy_House said:

Could you rent it out as a holiday home instead? Are you in a touristy area, or near AONBs?

More work since a greater turn-over, yes, but I think everything else should be soooo much easier; no need for retrospective, no need for separate CT, probably no need for special insurance(?), much higher weekly rent, no need to bring it up to a particular standard - which a retro most likely will expect, and stuff like that.

I think.

   Sadly , I am not in a tourist area , I live in Rickmansworth....we do have lakes and there is Chiltern AONB but I don't recall anyone to rent their house to tourists. 

Section62

timea said:

After we moved in the main house, part of the summer house was used by my parent to live there and I also used a room as an office for my work. My question will be what steps do I need to take now in order to convert this into a dwelling. My parent have moved but I will like to rent this to someone else and to do that I want to make sure this is considered to be a dwelling not just a summer house.

I think unless you have building regs signoff you will be taking a massive risk if you let the property as a separate dwelling (or even as a holiday let).

If anything tragic were to happen you would have no defence - you would be unable to demonstrate you had taken steps to make sure people sleeping/living in this structure were safe.

And assuming you were lucky and there was no tragedy, then it only takes a disgruntled (ex-)tenant to report you to the council for letting out a building of dubious habitability.  What you and family were happy to live in on a temporary basis isn't necessarily what other people (and the law) will  expect.

Planning-wise, if you are past the timescale for enforcement over the original construction then you will need to think about getting consent to convert from a 'summer house' to a sepatate dwelling.  TBH I'm doubtful you'd get consent as councils in the London area are generally resistant to the idea of 'beds in sheds' and it sounds very much like that is what you would be having.

Edit:  What is the situation with a mortgage on the property?  If there is one, the mortgage company may have reservations about your plan as well.

timea

Section62 said:

timea said:

After we moved in the main house, part of the summer house was used by my parent to live there and I also used a room as an office for my work. My question will be what steps do I need to take now in order to convert this into a dwelling. My parent have moved but I will like to rent this to someone else and to do that I want to make sure this is considered to be a dwelling not just a summer house.

I think unless you have building regs signoff you will be taking a massive risk if you let the property as a separate dwelling (or even as a holiday let).

If anything tragic were to happen you would have no defence - you would be unable to demonstrate you had taken steps to make sure people sleeping/living in this structure were safe.

And assuming you were lucky and there was no tragedy, then it only takes a disgruntled (ex-)tenant to report you to the council for letting out a building of dubious habitability.  What you and family were happy to live in on a temporary basis isn't necessarily what other people (and the law) will  expect.

Planning-wise, if you are past the timescale for enforcement over the original construction then you will need to think about getting consent to convert from a 'summer house' to a sepatate dwelling.  TBH I'm doubtful you'd get consent as councils in the London area are generally resistant to the idea of 'beds in sheds' and it sounds very much like that is what you would be having.

Edit:  What is the situation with a mortgage on the property?  If there is one, the mortgage company may have reservations about your plan as well.

  Thank you for your advice , I will definitely seek to make this house safe and if this needs BC sing off I will do that too. I suppose in the end I need to try my luck with the planning. I found a few years ago something similar for sale and that raised my curiosity ...if other have obtain a bungalow approval on their rear garden ...why wouldn't I .. it is just staying there ...at least to earn some rent money. 

TELLIT01

Our neighbours needed to get planning permission for a timber lodge to be located in their garden, and that was only granted on the basis of occasional use.

Bendy_House

timea said:

  Thank you for your advice , I will definitely seek to make this house safe and if this needs BC sing off I will do that too. I suppose in the end I need to try my luck with the planning. I found a few years ago something similar for sale and that raised my curiosity ...if other have obtain a bungalow approval on their rear garden ...why wouldn't I .. it is just staying there ...at least to earn some rent money. 

I just don't see it happening, Timea.

It sounds like an impressive building, right enough, and it's clearly 'habitable' - ie, folk can live in it in comfort. But does it conform to current regs? Will they expect current standards of insulation, etc? Or will hubbie need to add more to ceilings, walls, floors? How much damage will need to be made to reveal the roof construction and show that it's correct and won't suffer from cond? What manner of foundations will be expected, and how will you prove this?

What a 'mare.

Instead, you move in there, and then rent out your house (Kidding)

Or, AirBnB it.

Not sure what regs/insurances/legalities are involved in that, but there are LOADS of self-catering huts such as Shepherd's Huts (literally sitting on wheels) and all sorts of Glamping Pods down this neck, so clearly there isn't a 'habitable standard' required as such. Or else it's being flouted on a sizeable scale.

Not sure how many folk wish to spend a week or a few days in Rickmansworth, but it could be a cheap and easy stay for them, and a nice little earner for you.

If you do decide to go 'retrospective', please keep us updated on how it goes - it'll be very interesting.