Can You Use Your Garden Room as a Holiday Let?

2nd September 2021

With holidays in the UK becoming more and more popular, there is a large market for holiday lets. If you are in a desirable holiday location you could be making a second income by letting out a room, an outbuilding or a garden room for short stays but what is allowed? Here we take a look at whether you can use your garden room as a holiday let.

Planning Permission

Modern garden rooms do not usually require a planning application as they fall within permitted development rules under class E, however, this is pre-approved planning permission as long as your room is built subject to a number of limits and conditions which include:

1) That the garden room is no higher than 2.5m from the bottom of the building to the top of the roof (if within 2m of boundary)

2) That you do not take up more than 50% of your garden area with this or any other buildings

3) It is not to be used for living or sleeping accommodation

As this will most definitely be used for sleeping, you will need to contact your local council for guidance on your area rules (this can vary) and take the appropriate steps that they state. Which have more info here.

You may want to contact a local garden room company at this time to also plan out size, design, costs etc which you can then also liaise with the council over.

Building Regulations

If you want to put up small detached buildings such as a garden shed, garden room or summerhouse in your garden, Building Regulations (except Part P for Electrical works) will not normally apply if the floor area of the building is less than 15 square metres INTERNAL and contains NO sleeping accommodation.

If the INTERNAL floor area of the building is between 15 square metres and 30 square metres, you will not normally be required to apply for building regulations approval, providing that the building contains NO sleeping accommodation, and is either at least one metre from any boundary, or it is constructed substantially of non-combustible materials. 

As you can see due to the nature of the use of this garden room you will also need to seek building regulations advice plus obtain a certificate.

Complying with Building Regulations

Part A of the Regulations for structural integrity is fully complied with, ensuring that the building is constructed so that combined dead loads (weight of structural elements), imposed loads (snow, maintenance activities, etc) and wind loads are accounted for. Issues addressed cover elements such as the size and bearing of roof timbers relative to the unsupported roof span per guidance issued by NHBC and TRADA.

Part L (does not apply to buildings under 50m2 internal floor area per Regulation 21) takes account of the insulation qualities of walls, roof, floor, doors and windows, and new Building Regulations introduced in April 2014 impose stricter fabric U-Values for England and Wales of: 

Part P In the case of Garden Buildings Part P applies and any work is notifiable to the Local Authority.  Work can be self-certified by an Electrical Installer who is registered as a competent person using aBS7671 electrical installation certificate for every job they undertake, with a copy given to the householder.

Finding The Right Tradesmen

Once you have the ball rolling with the above you will need to begin finding the right tradesmen to carry out the internal jobs such as electrics, heating and plumbing. Most garden room companies will supply each build with a basic heating and electrical package but with a holiday let, you will need to ensure that you adhere to all regulations and supply everything that a holidaymaker will require during their stay.

You will want to consider:

• Bathroom/shower room
• Toilet
• Kitchenette
• Power points
• Lights and lamps
• Heating possibly air con
• WiFi

The Benefits of Having a Garden Room as a Holiday Let

Your guests will be completely self-sufficient in a garden room which will allow you to continue with your usual routine without having to tend to their needs throughout the day.

Your garden room will pay for itself as you get booked up.

You can earn up to £7500 a year tax free from a holiday let.

You can outsource the bookings and promotion to sites such as Airbnb.

You can pick and choose the weeks that you’d like to use your garden room as a holiday let and when you’d like to have it for personal use.

To find out more and to talk plans and ideas through, do not hesitate to give us a call today.