Is it legal to renovate and rent out garage?
- Thread starter cceasy
- Start date
Look, people can and do rent out these kinds of set-ups. There are probably many 1,000's of them across the state. Are they legally done - probably not.
Since this is a NSW property, why don't you seek to have the garage conversion retrospectively approved under the granny flat legislation, if it can be done? Check with a Private Certifier or give Serge (posts on here as Brazen) a call. He'll be able to point you in the right direction.
Your local council has to address that. (Or certifier maybe..But its still probably going to need to go through Council)
A thread a few months back had council breathing down a owner as his tenants were living in main house, poolshed and also garage. Council insisted that neither be occupied.
Of course its taxable income and the deductions may be very limited. Plumbing, electricals, kitchen etc all contain in a dbl garage. ....All on a concrete slab ? May be expensive for the outcome. Resale ?? Loss of garage may be a buyer concern. 90% of buyers dont want a houso's shed in their garage - Restricts buyers. Refit could also then be costly. Sure you may have no plans to sell...Nobody ever does.
A thread a few months back had council breathing down a owner as his tenants were living in main house, poolshed and also garage. Council insisted that neither be occupied.
Of course its taxable income and the deductions may be very limited. Plumbing, electricals, kitchen etc all contain in a dbl garage. ....All on a concrete slab ? May be expensive for the outcome. Resale ?? Loss of garage may be a buyer concern. 90% of buyers dont want a houso's shed in their garage - Restricts buyers. Refit could also then be costly. Sure you may have no plans to sell...Nobody ever does.
Just be aware, before approaching council that it is up to standard. Otherwise they will make you rip the kitchen out and will be watching for tenants.
This happened to a place I was looking at buying.
They built a garage and added kitchen, nice yard etc. It was fantastic. But they didn't get final approval (it was supposed to be a garage). When they advertised it the first buyer chcked with council, who made them rip everything out.
Often garages can't be made legal because the floor is not lined to comply to a livable room. If you are going the council route you need to do it properly.
Is it attached to the house? If so I can tell you it will not be passed without a firewall.
You can just do it illegally but your insurance will be void if they find out.
This happened to a place I was looking at buying.
They built a garage and added kitchen, nice yard etc. It was fantastic. But they didn't get final approval (it was supposed to be a garage). When they advertised it the first buyer chcked with council, who made them rip everything out.
Often garages can't be made legal because the floor is not lined to comply to a livable room. If you are going the council route you need to do it properly.
Is it attached to the house? If so I can tell you it will not be passed without a firewall.
You can just do it illegally but your insurance will be void if they find out.
Council needs to approve it, but there are tons of "ad-hoc" conversions out there that have been slipping under the radar for years. This doesn't make it legal, but it's up to you whether you want to leave as is or go through the rigmarole with your local council and the possibility that they'll make you rip it all out. As for renting it out, if it's not approved you run the risk of the tenant (or prospective) checking with council and then having to rip everything out. It really is up to whether you want to risk it.
