What Are the Rules for Granny Flats in Australia?

 

A granny flat, also known as a studio apartment, is a big hit all over the world. They are more and more popular, as they can fix a problem a lot of families have nowadays. If you have someone, a relative or maybe a close friend, who needs a place to stay, but you don’t have the space in your home, you can build this kind of flat! And if you want to build one, this article is going to present some of the rules these flats need to respect, so that everything is safe and legal.

What Granny Flats Are?

Granny flats are smaller houses that you have on your property. So, besides your main home, there is also the granny flat. They are often used for adult children, or elderly parents. They can also be used to rent, which brings additional income. There are multiple types of flats, like converted or new structures. You can either built a granny flat in an already existing space, or created an entirely new structure. They have everything anyone would need, like: bathroom, kitchen, and bedroom. But, as with everything, granny flats in Australia must follow some rules.

There are different rules, concerning the size of the flat, or when are you allowed to build one. There are many questions on the subject, and you are going to find out the answers throughout this article. Can you build a granny flat while your main house is still being built? How many square meters can it be? Let’s see.

What Are the Rules for Granny Flats?

As previously mentioned, there are rules concerning when, where, and how big can the granny flat can be built. Each area in Australia has its own set of rules, which is why it’s important to check them based on your exact location. Granny flats in Australia are a great option if you need some more space. As an example, in NSW (New South Wales in Australia), they can have up to 60 square meters. It’s also important to know that you need to have another house on that land. You cannot build a granny flat on an empty land.

You can, however, build a granny flat is your main house is getting rebuilt. You can check more about this on the page of information published by the NSW Government. Then, if you plan on renting the granny flat, there are other rules you need to follow; as it is not for personal, but commercial use. You need to have at least a 450 square meters property to even think of building a granny flat. You need to receive approval to build it, and before you apply, make sure that you meet all the requirements (the lot is big enough, and so on).

How to Get Approval?

After you take everything into consideration, like: space, parking, taxes, and other small details, you can apply for approval to start building your granny flat. There are two ways to get approval in New South Wales, and those are:

• The DA process – The DA stands for ‘Development Application’, and it’s with your local council.
• The CDC process – The CDC stands for ‘Complying Development Certificate’, and it’s through a private certifier.

As you can probably guess, the CDC can get you an approval quicker (because it skips some of the detailed steps). This whole process can take up to 20 days, and after you receive approval to build the flat, you will need an occupation certificate (a document that says that the granny flat is safe to live in). The occupation certificate needs to be for the entire property (the main house and the granny flat), and it can be obtained within five years.

What Else do You Need to Know?

A granny flat can solve your problems! If you have an adult child, and you want them to live close to you, but still have privacy, this is the way to go. Also, if you have an elder in your family, someone that you would like to have close to you; maybe to help them, or just so that they don’t feel alone, this is perfect for you. It offers the person who loves in the granny flat everything they need. They have all the necessary things, while also living alone. But, as it is an additional house, even if small, it’s still a house.

This is why, you will need things like water and electricity. You need to make sure that you can ensure these safely and legally. You need to check this with experts and the council in your area. Also, depending on the structure you choose, either attached or detached from the main house, there will be some other details you need to consider. Also, you are not allowed to bring any alteration to the main home; the only thing you can do, if the granny flat is attached, is an additional entry for the granny flat.

Another thing to consider, even if you have the necessary square meters, are the setback requirements. This refers to how close to the road, the fence (or other delimitations) can the granny flat be. These will obviously depend on the heigh, width, and length of your new construction. As an example, if your lot is minimum 450 square meters, but less than 900 square meters, you can have a front setback of 4.5 meters, a rear seatback of 3 meters, and side setbacks of 0.9 meters. So, you need a granny flat that can allow these setbacks.

Conclusion

Granny flats can be a game-changer for you and your family. It’s important to make sure that you can fulfill all the requirements necessary before thinking of building a granny flat. But, if you have the necessary space, and the council approves your construction, the new little home will surely bring you only happiness. You can either have your loved ones closer to you, you can rent it for some additional income; and, it also increases the value of your property. If none of these apply to you, but you still need a granny flat, you can use it as an office, or anything else that you might need.