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peeta
Posts: 16 Forumite
hi
we recently finished our self-build home which includes a detached garage.
the planning permission specified that new dwelling had no permitted development rights.
the garage has been built in accordance to the original design specifications, which from the outset made it clear there would be electricity and water supply available.
the loft-space is large and dormer windows are present and we intended to use this space a gym or office. Right from the start the garage specified a WC and shower-room in the design and this was accepted by the planning authority.
We became interested in the idea of letting out the garage through AirBnB, aiming for a low volume let, eg 20-30 days per year. Guests could only use the garage and not the main house. We have not yet had a single booking.
A neighbour has put through a formal complaint to the planners saying we carried out a change in use of the garage, making it habitable.
The planning team have not responded to the complaint, or contacted us yet.
We don't agree that there is a change in use. All amenities offered by the garage were clear in our original design specification which received approval. Building control were happy with the house & garage and all the electrical work in the garage has a separate NIC certificate.
As we plan to have low volume lets, it clearly falls within the 90-day rule. So our plans do not require any permission from the authorities, and this is not a long-term let, and of course the garage cannot ever have a separate title...
Should we be worried about this neighbour's complaint?
many thanks for your thoughts!
we recently finished our self-build home which includes a detached garage.
the planning permission specified that new dwelling had no permitted development rights.
the garage has been built in accordance to the original design specifications, which from the outset made it clear there would be electricity and water supply available.
the loft-space is large and dormer windows are present and we intended to use this space a gym or office. Right from the start the garage specified a WC and shower-room in the design and this was accepted by the planning authority.
We became interested in the idea of letting out the garage through AirBnB, aiming for a low volume let, eg 20-30 days per year. Guests could only use the garage and not the main house. We have not yet had a single booking.
A neighbour has put through a formal complaint to the planners saying we carried out a change in use of the garage, making it habitable.
The planning team have not responded to the complaint, or contacted us yet.
We don't agree that there is a change in use. All amenities offered by the garage were clear in our original design specification which received approval. Building control were happy with the house & garage and all the electrical work in the garage has a separate NIC certificate.
As we plan to have low volume lets, it clearly falls within the 90-day rule. So our plans do not require any permission from the authorities, and this is not a long-term let, and of course the garage cannot ever have a separate title...
Should we be worried about this neighbour's complaint?
many thanks for your thoughts!
0
Comments
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It's classified as a garage , not a room so you may have problems especially as it seems there were strict conditions about permitted development ( i.e make it a larger dwelling.
The neighbours may have strongly opposed planning in the first place suspecting it was the first step in conversion to a dwelling , using it for Airbnb would confirm the suspicion . I'd suspect it was a ploy to show use of garage as a dwelling for a period of time .Ex forum ambassador
Long term forum member0 -
Does anyone remember when garages were for cars? Then when cars got bigger the became storage/utility rooms. Now they are becoming hotels.... This sounds like a crafty way to build a bigger "home" than you were allowedAn answer isn't spam just because you don't like it......0
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Providing sleeping accomodation for short term rent is something different to a space used as living accommodation for the house.
Does your building regs cover the garage as a bedroom or sleeping accomodation?0 -
There!!!8217;s no way to get the change of use for the garage, this is clear from the planning conditions.
As for wanting a bigger house, we!!!8217;re not after that - the house is close to 600 sqm, that!!!8217;s plenty for us.
Home owners are allowed to offer short term lets for rooms, for annexes, their driveway for parking etc.
I guess the question is, do the rules say you can!!!8217;t offer your garage for visitors?0 -
You can offer your garage to them but not as somewhere to sleep.0
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the_r_sole wrote: »You can offer your garage to them but not as somewhere to sleep.
That’s a good point.0 -
I am guessing the house is a very tight fit on the plot, that is the usual reason for removing permitted development rights.
Personally I would just wait and see if the council take any enforecement notice.
I don't know of a "90 day rule" There is a 28 day rule that lets you do things for 28 days, e.g you could open your garden as a caravan site for 28 days per year without needing planning permission.
Check your house insurance covers for letting, we used to run a B&B and that was coverd with a guest house insurance policy as a normal domestic policy would not cover anything if a paying guest burned the house down.
Put a decent sofa bed in the garage, and keep it set up as a sofa except when guests Come. Then if the man from the council comes there is no bed.
P.S Booking.com was way way better than Air BNB. In fact Air BNB did not produce much business for us at all.0 -
Where is the access to this room? Do the access stairs meet fire regulations or are they like some of the loft conversions that can only be used as storage and not for sleeping in. Where do the guests get breakfast?0
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