Hi everyone!
I am a journalist and I’m writing a story about granny flats in Sydney. Morris Iemma flagged the idea of allowing property owners to build small units or granny flats in their backyards to rent them out, exempt from capital gains tax. I just wanted to get an idea of your thoughts – is this a good idea? Will it help solve the affordability and rental crisis? Is there anyone who has actually built a granny flat and is renting it out? Or plans to if the policy is passed?
Any info or help would be great!
Thanks!
Old news isn't it? Morrie's left parliament.
Absolute waste of time – in the days prior to the current government having overturned the dual occupancy code (SEPP 51? – can't remember, it was too long ago and is repealed) it was possible to build a second dwelling and subdivide on most blocks of land. This allowed many to get in on the act of development or subdividing their block. Your option today is to erect a SEPP 5 (housing for the over 55's) which puts a restrictive covenant on the development (as to ownership or occupation of the premises). The reintroduction of 'semis' or side-by-side duplexes (as opposed to two separate dwellings taking up a larger footprint) would go a long way to addressing the issue of affordability.
If the government was serious about housing affordability, increasing densities and use of existing facilities then, rather than addressing a simple matter of adding a poorly planned dodgy tack-on to a property it should be addressing the root of unaffordability – land use, zoning, densities, land size requirements, upfront payments for the provision of infrastructure and construction setbacks. When the government of the day seeks to redress the upfront payment for a service as opposed to life-cycle costing for the provision of those services/infrastructure, then a major hurdle towards affordability will be scaled.
You must be logged in to reply to this topic. If you don't have an account, you can register here.
