Can You Live In A Garden Room? The Key Rules

Here is everything you need to know about whether you can live in a garden room.

Can you live in a garden room?

Yes, you can live in a garden room, but only if you have planning permission and the garden room meets building regulations.

Garden rooms aren’t designed or intended to be self-contained living spaces. One of the primary rules of pre-approved planning permission is that the garden room must not be used as living/sleeping accommodation. Other rules include size (no larger than 50% of total garden space) and height restrictions (no taller than 2.5 metres).

Breaking these rules triggers the planning process. So, you can live in a garden room only after getting planning permission.

You need to meet building regulations to live in a garden room

Then, there is building regulation. A garden room must also pass this before you can legally use it as living space.

The requirements are different when a structure becomes a self-contained living space or accommodation. The authorities will inspect it for fire precautions, ventilation, insulation, draft, electricity, drainage, etc.

Building inspection must confirm that the garden room is a safe and adequate self-contained accommodation. The good news is that many modern garden rooms already have these features to meet this requirement.

You can live in the garden room after meeting the requirements for planning permission and building regulations.

Applying for planning permission

The easiest way to apply for planning permission to live in a garden room is to hire a professional to handle the process on your behalf. The application process is often time-consuming and expensive. It usually takes weeks.

Hiring a professional can save you from some of this stress. It could also make the process run more smoothly. Why? Because a professional understands the rules and process much better than you do.

However, whether you do the application yourself or outsource it to a professional, applying for planning permission takes time and costs money.

Here is how to get planning permission to live in a garden room.

• Contact local planning authorities: You can visit their website or office. Let them know that you need permission to turn a garden room into a self-contained living space. They will tell you the rules. Then, ask you to fill out some forms and provide some documents.
• Fill out the forms and provide the required documents: You will have to provide details like the garden room's structure, size, and building materials. Documents you must provide include the garden room’s drawing and ordinance map.
• Schedule an inspection: the authorities will send someone to inspect the garden room.
• Get your certificate: This certifies that the garden room can be used as a self-contained accommodation. It is official. You can now modify your garden room into a living space.

How to use a garden room as a living space without planning permission 

The rules say you can’t turn a garden room into a full-time living space without planning permission. However, they don’t say you can’t use the garden room as an occasional guest room or spot for sleepovers.

Therefore, you can technically sleep in a garden room without getting planning permission. It’s just that you can only do this occasionally. You need planning permission and building regulations to make it official.

However, there are tax implications for turning a garden room into a self-contained living space. For example, if you rent out the garden room, the proceeds will be taxed.

Summary

Once again, you can live in your garden room if planning permission and building regulations sign off on it. However, this is only worth it if the garden room has amenities that make it fit for use as an independent living space.

So, choose an installer who can build a garden room that’s fit for living in. Better yet, choose an installer who can help you pass planning permission and building regulations. Choose us at Garden Living Co. Start now by checking out our bespoke, high-quality garden rooms.