Airbnb kitchenette in RPZ

T0MMY

I will be Airbnbing a basement area in our new house in Wicklow (rent pressure zone). It currently has 2 bedrooms and a bathroom. There is also a storage/utility room which I would like to convert to a kitchenette. My understanding is, if I putt in a full kitchen I will not be allowed Airbnb it as it would be considered a self-contained unit, but would I be allowed put in a sink and/or a microwave and perhaps a countertop plug-in hob? What constitutes a "kitchen". Many thanks, Tom.

Ray Palmer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058253113/airbnb-kitchenette-in-rpz

They will look at it in it's totality. Do the people have access to the rest of the house? If not it is being rented as self contained if rented over a certain period of time.

T0MMY

Thanks for your reply. There is a staircase up to the rest of the house with a doorway, but I was planning on keeping that locked when there are guests visiting.

Claw Hammer

As the whole place is your principal residence and yu access all of it, provided your rentals are less than 14 days each, it comes down to whether you have created a self contained unit which is a breach of planning. presumably the wiring and plumbing are part of main house's plumbing and wiring. You can certainly install a utility room in addition to a kitchen in your house.

Once there is any kind of a kitchen with facilities for preparing, cooking and storing food the council would probably claim it is a self contained unit or an unauthorised sub-division of a planning unit. If your work is reversible all they can do is serve a notice on you to remove the offending structure or discontinue the unauthorised use.

mariaalice

I have stayed in a few bnb, if it's not rural or its the type of place where people usually only stay a night or two for example attending a wedding.

I wouldn't put in a kitchen, make one of the rooms a sitting room with a sofa bed and one room a bedroom make sure they have a kettle and a fridge, a good shower, and loo. That way it is self-contained but not capable of being rented out long therm so would work as an air bnb.

In the vast majority of cases, guests staying a night or two won't be cooking but they need to get snacks/tea and coffee and maybe breakfast.

T0MMY

Electricity and plumbing are all part of the main residence. I was hoping to install a sink with drinkable water, a microwave, a fridge and a plug in counter top hob, but it sounds like they might consider that a kitchen. Thanks for your help.

T0MMY

Thanks Mariaalice, I think I may go that route. I would probably still get good bookings even without a kitchenette.

DonnieCorko

Why not install the kitchen and do stays off 14 days or more. We currently do it, charge a pretty substantial rate, and are fully booked out. However, we are in a city (not dublin).

T0MMY

Good idea, thank you!

T0MMY

Where do you advertise to get 14+ day bookings?

endofrainbow

Does it have a separate entrance?

T0MMY

It can be accessed either through the house and down a stairs or by it's own entrance.

DonnieCorko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119312905#Comment_119312905

Airbnb. We are fully booked charging around 70% of what we would charger for short term stays. Less cleaning and hassle so it worked out, but only doing it because of the legislation around STL as its a second property. Feel free to DM with any specific questions.