I have a 3m x 4m cabin that I rent out - it has just a bed, bed/settee and table in it. The guests use the shower and washroom facilities in my house. Last year was my first year and I had a total of 10 days booked. Do I require planning permission for this? I though I didn’t but have just received a letter from the Council wanting to inspect.
I would be suprised if this was allowed without planning permission, otherwise what’s to stop anyone sticking a shed up and calling it habitable?
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Why did you feel you don’t need planning permission?
I don’t know. I never really thought about planning. Just me being an idiot! Does anyone know if it’s an easy thing to obtain? I am not sure if it is worth me doing if it’s going to be costly as I only had a few bookings last year.
I’m afraid you probably do. The rule is if it’s overnight accommodation you have to have planning permission. At least, you need it if you are actually going to build the cabin, it might be different since it’s already there. I should talk to your local Planning Officer - they’re not ogres and they’d be able to give you good advice!
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It’s not an easy thing to obtain for obvious reasons; namely if you can do it, everyone else will want to be able to do it. Before you know it the unintended consequence is a street full of sheds with low quality accommodation.
So no, not easy, but not impossible either.
What happened with this? We have a similar cabin, which is well within height requirements for it to have needed planning, which we now use occasionally for Airbnb. We have just had a very polite visit from a planning officer and a building regs officer who said that we do need planning, and might have to get building regs involved. Which, if they look at it as a building and not, well, a posh shed, then it will never pass (insulation, cladding, mechanical ventilation, etc etc.
So was wandering what happened to you?
Thanks in advance, Triston