Tenant living in garage

I think I have seem a comment somewhere on the forum re the legality of renting out a garage for someone to sleep in. I know of a situation at the moment where a guy is renting out rooms of his PPOR including the garage. Is this legal?
 
I think I have seem a comment somewhere on the forum re the legality of renting out a garage for someone to sleep in. I know of a situation at the moment where a guy is renting out rooms of his PPOR including the garage. Is this legal?

I guess they can sleep anywhere.

I don't suspect though, that he was advertising the rental for his garage though. I would assume it was a mate or something like that. After all.....who would sleep in a garage.....and pay for it. (I am thinking that you would have all the smells of oil and petro, etc)

As it is not considered a 'habitable area' ie Class 1, it would require a DA if you were going to use this as a permanent bedroom (when selling it), otherwise it would remain as a class 10 structure (i.e. garage)

But for renting.....who knows.

Cheers,

F
 
often tenants will sublet garages, sleep outs etc. There are council regs about over crowding a house but they would have to prove it
 
I've known of someone who rented a 3 bedroom + 1 bathroom house and somehow managed to rent it out to more than 8 students. I think he subdivided the garage & made it 2 rooms.....:eek:

Not sure how the PM would react if he/she inspected the property though...
 
When looking at some units close to the university last week a Chinese REA showed me the property and pointed out how I could increase the rental return for the 2 bdr unit. She said I could put a wall in where the lounge is and make that a room and the students could then use the small space left over as a lounge. Then as we looked at the garage which was internal she said I could even put plaster board over the garage door and then cram more students into the garage space. :eek: She said she would do it although at a cheaper rate but she thought I could wring $450 a week out of what would normally be a $220 - $250 a week place.

I bought something else...
 
With all of the new modern homes, if you covered up the roller doors, nice curtains maybe, covered the cement flooring, it looks like a big bedroom.

Good idea, I can put hubby out there.
 
As it is not considered a 'habitable area' ie Class 1, it would require a DA if you were going to use this as a permanent bedroom (when selling it), otherwise it would remain as a class 10 structure (i.e. garage)

But for renting.....who knows.
It's the same. It's not legal to use a non-habitable area for sleeping accommodation.
often tenants will sublet garages, sleep outs etc. There are council regs about over crowding a house but they would have to prove it
I'd say the presence of a bed upon a surprise Council inspection would do it. ;) It's illegal whether over-crowded or otherwise; separate issues.
I've known of someone who rented a 3 bedroom + 1 bathroom house and somehow managed to rent it out to more than 8 students. I think he subdivided the garage & made it 2 rooms.....:eek:
And I get accused of being a slumlord for putting 17 students in 16 bedrooms! :rolleyes:
When looking at some units close to the university last week a Chinese REA showed me the property and pointed out how I could increase the rental return for the 2 bdr unit. She said I could put a wall in where the lounge is and make that a room and the students could then use the small space left over as a lounge. Then as we looked at the garage which was internal she said I could even put plaster board over the garage door and then cram more students into the garage space. :eek:
That's outrageous. I would advise the REINSW and Fair Trading that the agent is trying to sell the property on the basis of an illegal use.
 
I've known of someone who rented a 3 bedroom + 1 bathroom house and somehow managed to rent it out to more than 8 students. I think he subdivided the garage & made it 2 rooms.....:eek:

Not sure how the PM would react if he/she inspected the property though...

Intersted to know how the judge will react when he finds himself in court?
 
When looking at some units close to the university last week a Chinese REA showed me the property and pointed out how I could increase the rental return for the 2 bdr unit. She said I could put a wall in where the lounge is and make that a room and the students could then use the small space left over as a lounge. Then as we looked at the garage which was internal she said I could even put plaster board over the garage door and then cram more students into the garage space. :eek: She said she would do it although at a cheaper rate but she thought I could wring $450 a week out of what would normally be a $220 - $250 a week place.

I bought something else...

Walk around the CBD there are countless adverts for share room accomodation (as in, someone wanted to share a room). It's very often done and the students don't seem to mind.
Not advocating it or saying it's legal though.
 
Walk around the CBD there are countless adverts for share room accomodation (as in, someone wanted to share a room). It's very often done and the students don't seem to mind.
Sharing a room isn't illegal, but renting out the garage, without it being classed a "habitable space", is. Nothing wrong with renting out rooms, or even a share of a room, provided the space you're renting is habitable, and they have the necessary light, heat, ventilation etc (there are cubic metres of air per person etc under the Australian Building Code), and you're not violating laws about maximum number of tenants before you need to be registered as a boarding house etc.
 
Once I signed the contract on another property I sent a text to same agent as I thought it was a considerate thing to do since they had taken time to show me the unit and I said I would let her know by Friday. I told her thanks very much for showing me the property etc and it was in my top 3 but I decided to buy another one. She didn't even reply back, pretty arrogant so I probably won't bother to thank agents next time. :(
 
If the garage was decent enpugh, I'd live in it and rent out rooms in the house.
I've done the "live in the big house" thing, and would view this as an adventure.Close to camping without sleeping on the ground.
 
Any thoughts on what is of more value, a garage or another room. Looking at a house where they have converted the single garage to an extra living space. It's properly tiled and gyprocked at the roller door.
 
This is very common among the Asian communities and landlords. It drives me very mad as the living conditions for tenants are appalling. I have seen it too often in the US and in Australia - when I visited friends living in the Asian areas. Last week I had to accompany a girlfriend to Dulwich Hill (a suburb of Sydney) to see an Asian man about some treatment for her brother. My girlfriend was afraid to see this man alone, as she did not know this man - she wanted me there just in case! This man lives in a shed / garage in the back of the house. Inside the house it appeared that every room / space was being rented - each room had a lock on the door.

An (rich) Asian friend who once suggested to me that he could help me buying and renting houses among the Asian communities for real positive values - doing the things that this thread discussed (dividing rooms and garage). However, I declined his offer and told him I did not want to become a slumlord.
 
Last edited:
It's the fact that it's illegal and when you get busted you'll find yourself with several legal issues to deal with.

To be a proper rooming business, there're many requirements such as hard-wired smoke alarms, exit lights, proper locks etc. Also need to perform council inspections every year. Much better to just rent the house out to one person and forget the troubles.
 
This story does the rounds of "A Current Affair" and "Today Tonight" every six months or so. 10 to 15 students in a 2-bed flat. Landlord trying to cover camera whilst threatenting the journo etc etc

I don't agree with it at all, but it will always be there whilst there is a demand for it.

It must be the world's second oldest profession. :)
 
Back
Top