Granny flat for rent?

Pepino_Man

Is it possible to create a small studio of about 30m2 in my 150m2 garden? I have a friend who lives in Dublin and pays 1300 euros for a room with his partner and they are not comfortable with the owner of the house. I have a large back garden and I am thinking of building a small studio to make an 80% independent life, a small kitchen and a small bathroom. Electricity and water would have to be connected from my house, not independent, and the entrance would be from my house, not independent. The function would be to rent the small studio as a room to my friend for a lower price than he pays now and having independence (not total, they will have to use some appliances from my main house). Is that possible in Dublin?

DOCARCH

It is possible but planning permission required and planning permission very unlikely to be granted for a separate 'flat' for rental purposes.

Lumen

You can search the DCC planning site for similar applications and see how they get on.

https://planning.agileapplications.ie/dublincity/search-applications/

e.g. search Proposed Development for detached ancillary accommodation

The Schedule/Cover letter will summarise the application.

For instance:

https://webapps.dublincity.ie/AniteIM.WebSearch/Download.aspx?ID=1030560

Pepino_Man

So to summarize, I cannot or it is almost impossible for me to be allowed to build a room in my own garden without being attached to my own house, and for that room to be treated like the other 2 rooms I already have. It's a shame, I would understand that they put many requirements on me but that it is impossible seems incredible to me.

Mellor

Yes it's possible. Planning required.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119875860#Comment_119875860

Technically it wouldn't be a separate flat as its not independent. It would be habitable garden room ancillary to the house. Renting it out would be the same as renting out the spare room.

Citizen Six

Where I live, in Dublin 3, I've seen a few applications being built for "studios", which then end up rented out for high rents.

One house converted their garage into a 19 m2 bedsit, and have it rented out for €1500 a month. The owner ran for Fine Fail in the last local elections 😂 Their bins, that used to be stored in the garage, are now stored on the public footpath, obstructing it.

The general consensus seems to be apply for retention if you get caught, but people also thinks it's nobody else's business.

monseiur

Get planning and build a 30sq. m. shed or bigger if space allows. Build it high spec. re. floor, wall & attic insulation, double glazed windows, first fix plumbing etc. Sheds can morph into habitable spaces over time 😉

Penn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119876723#Comment_119876723

As per a previous post, it's not impossible, just very unlikely. There are numerous factors which go into the Council's decisions on things like this; increased car parking, increased waste/sewage, increased noise pollution, minimum living standards to be achieved, not wanting to set a precedent in the area for others to do the same.

There's also the likelihood that even though you may be saying you'll be renting it to a friend, what happens when they leave? In such cases even when granny flats are made for a relative who dies or moves out, people tend to rent it out to others. After all, why spend likely 30k+ building a liveable shed down the back garden for your friend whose circumstances could change within 3 years (change of job, change of family circumstances etc) and then you're left with a liveable shed you can't use or don't really need yourself. Councils know people would then just rent it out to someone else. All of a sudden it's not a friend/relative living in it, but possibly someone unknown, which can lead to further disruptions etc.

One of the main planning conditions with granny flats is that when the person it was built for no longer needs it, the granny flat must be converted into part of the main house and only used by the occupiers of the main house, essentially changing it from a granny flat into just an extension to the main house. That's why it almost always has to be connected and accessible from the main house. That's not going to happen with a shed down the back of the garden.

Citizen Six

I've seen a very interesting granny flat being built close to me at the moment. It reduced the size of the garden considerably, but they have designed the single storey extension from the main house with a terrace on the roof. Clever way of getting the space back. There only seemed to be one observation on it, which wasn't taken into account.

Pepino_Man

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119876825#Comment_119876825

Yes, of course my idea was that if my friend buys a house or finds something better in a few years, and this almost independent coexistence thing has gone well this time, to be able to rent it to another person of course. It's not that I'm going to do it, but I would like to have the possibility of at least recovering the money I invested in making the room, that is why I indicate that if I am not allowed to rent it, it is not worth it. With the price problems in rentals in Dublin, I thought that allowing rentals was promoted so that prices could be lowered somewhat. But I see that it is very difficult.

Citizen Six

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119878164#Comment_119878164

If you want to help the solve the housing crisis, while making a buck, just slap in a load of bunk beds into one of your bedrooms and rent them out for €1000 a month for each bed space.

Pepino_Man

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119879420#Comment_119879420

I have a spare room in my house, but I don't want to share my house with anyone else, so I thought of doing something in the garden with a small bathroom and kitchen so that if they have to use my house it's as little as possible. But I have already seen that it is not possible.

Citizen Six

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119879993#Comment_119879993

Well you could probably build something they could hang out in, and cook in. But they'd have to sleep in the main house.

But hey, a neighbour of mine knocked a building without permission, then built a two bed house without permission. Got about €62,000 grand in rent on it before he got shut down. Now has a nice lounge area for his kids, away from his own house.

DOCARCH

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119876765#Comment_119876765

I think that might be bending the technicalities a little?

If someone applies for planning permission for a 30 m.sq. 'habitable structure' to their garden, assuming the garden is big enough and assuming no neighbours overly affected, planning permission will likely be granted, but will come with the condition that the structure be used incidental to the enjoyment of the existing house and not used for human habitation.

Then, subsequently renting out that structure, for human habitation, would be a breach of planning and use.

Renting out a room in your house is completely different.

Mellor

If someone applies for planning permission for a 30 m.sq. 'habitable structure' to their garden, assuming the garden is big enough and assuming no neighbours overly affected, planning permission will likely be granted, but will come with the condition that the structure be used incidental to the enjoyment of the existing house and not used for human habitation.

Agreed, but with the caveat that the use should be shown clearly. If the plans show bed , bathroom, kitchenette, those functions are endorsed by planning.

Renting out a room in your house is completely different.

On what basis is it different, subject to planning being granted

Gumbo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119876893#Comment_119876893

Very rare to get the roof of a single storey extension to be allowed to be used.

In fact, most flat roof extensions that go through planning in Dublin City are conditioned that they are not accessible unless in an emergency.

Citizen Six

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119883607#Comment_119883607

Yeah, it is unusual. I've been hoping to catch the owner for a chat about it. It's a semi D, so neighbours on the attached side must have been ok with it. There's a lane on the opposite side, and then a garage in a former back garden, then the next house down objected to the overlooking of a bedroom window.

Yellow_Fern

For some backward reason, the planning decision makers dont like such ideas.

Yellow_Fern

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119883607#Comment_119883607

What would be the reasoning here? Thanks

Gumbo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119887937#Comment_119887937

Overlooking and loss of privacy to adjoining dwellings.

There’s a difference between a window from a bedroom and a family out sunbathing and have a few beers on a first floor roof garden.