outside garage

broaders65

we have family visiting from Australia in December and want to use the garage for 2 of them just to sleep in at night, is this allowed?
The garage is set about 10 meters away from the main semi detached house and attached to the neighbours garage.
The house will be totally full …..our only other option is to rent a caravan but this will obviously cost quite a bit….also not sure on the rules for this…..please any advise would be greatly appreciated….we are in Gloucestershire.

Bendy_House

Are you allowed to pitch a tent in your garden for an overnight - or multi-month - sleep (a young teenager did just this recently to raise money for charity)? Yup. Could you pitch the tent inside the garage? Yup. In the garden shed? Yup.

'Regs' only apply if you intend to turn an outbuilding in to a 'habitable' space, with toilets, central-heating, and stuff.

tacpot12

You don't need planning permission for this, but the garage is supposed to comply with building regulations if someone is going to sleep in it, even temporarily. 

It might comply, but checking and proving this will be more trouble than it is worth. As this is just for two nights, if they are happy to sleep there, I would just go ahead and let them. If you ensure that they are quiet and not seen when going to and from the garage you should be able to avoid any problems, but I would expect the council to turn a blind eye to this very temporary use. 

Ebe_Scrooge

As above, I doubt you'll have any problems in practice.  My only concern would be, it's going to be bloomin' cold in a garage in December.  Do think twice if you're thinking of sticking a paraffin heater or similar in there for them.

Would they be more comfortable in a local B&B for a few nights (how long are they staying for)?

FreeBear

Put them up in a local B&B or hotel.

A garage is going to be cold and damp. Certainly not a suitable space to be putting relatives (unless you really dislike them).

Brie

cold, damp, spiders, mice.  And where are you going to put all the normal junk that's in there?  

But yes - should be ok unless you've got particularly nosey and fussy neighbours.  (might be fun to see if any of them are on Mumsnet - that's the place you often see things like this talked about)

I did suggest my nephew could sleep in our shed a couple of years back.  This was due to him being a hulking lad that wouldn't fit on the sofa and I figured this would be more private and more comfortable.  But that was in the middle of summer and he's used to camping.  

diystarter7

Hello
If neighbors report you, council could come around but I doubt they will few a few weeks if at all. If its in a conservation area and or stand-alone to sleep in it you need planning consent/etc but this may slightly vary area by area.

The people that back on to our garden have in excess of 300 foot gardens and about 5 doors down someone built a massive garage so-called and had a shower, basin toilet, heating and lighting as they said they were going to use it for a gym as well - they often had people sleeping in there and we ie neighbors etc got together and sure it was raised to the ground as it was a clear breach of planning consent - took a year but it made our day.

As another psoter said, consider a tent - or a used van put duvets in the back but don't leave the engine running as especially in older vans/cars fumes can seep into the vehicle.

Another option is blow up mattress in the dinning room and a portable toilet outside if you only have the one.

Brie

Maybe the solution with the OP's neighbours is to talk them in advance and let them know it's a one off and there's no intention of the garage becoming an AirBnB or something.  Depends on the neighbours though.  Some won't notice.  Some won't care.  Some might ask if they can let their second cousin stay there next Easter.

Silvertabby

FreeBear said:

Put them up in a local B&B or hotel.

A garage is going to be cold and damp. Certainly not a suitable space to be putting relatives (unless you really dislike them).

Especially if they are from one of the hotter parts of Oz.  A friend, who lives near Cairns, reckons she is in danger of hypothermia if the overnight temperature drops below 15 degrees.

Bendy_House

Brie said:

Maybe the solution with the OP's neighbours is to talk them in advance and let them know it's a one off and there's no intention of the garage becoming an AirBnB or something.  Depends on the neighbours though.  Some won't notice.  Some won't care.  Some might ask if they can let their second cousin stay there next Easter.

That's a good suggestion.

If you get on with your neighbs, Broad, then a wee mention that some of the younger folk will be 'camping' in the garage for a few days/weeks will likely happen, so to not 'worry' if they hear voices! This would be thoughtful. I wouldn't, tho', give a vengeful neighb the opportunity to moan.

This IS just 'camping'! Folk are ALLOWED to 'camp' (ooh-er, missus...). Lawdie.

broaders65

we have decided to go the caravan route,any ideas what are the rules with this…..