Hey guys,
Looking into a house at the moment and upon receiving a council report I found that the enclosed garage is not approved. The owner of the house is a tradie, however, I am concerned as I will have tenants in the property. The room is not being used a bedroom at the moment. The current tenant has transformed it into a bar/sitting area.
What are my options here? Concerns?
I have purchased property before and experienced similar to do with car ports/extra rooms, but I am a little out of my depth when it comes to enclosed garages…
Jamie
Hi Jamie, I am a town planner from South Australia and come across situations like this all the time. If the garage has been transformed into a habitable room you are changing the classification of the building. Different building classes have different requirements such as fire rated walls, ventilation, natural light requirements etc. In South Australia under the Development Act (1993) if such a development, like a garage that has been enclosed without approval and is brought to councils attention we can act if it has been enclosed within the past 3 years. If it has been enclosed for over 3 years we have no authority to take action. I am unsure of what your local planning legislation is like in your home state but that is how we operate in S.A. I would recommended that you speak to your local council about the situation. I hope this helps!
Alex
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