Can I rent out my garden room as an office space?

[TeaAndMuffins]

We've recently renovated our summer house at the bottom of the garden. It's now insulated and had electricity and air conditioning. We've tested using it as an office space and it works really well. It has it's own access so you don't need to go through the house.
We need extra income but can't have a lodger for various reasons, so we're thinking about letting the garden room as an office space.
I'm pretty sure this would all be fine and legal, but I can't find any examples of people doing this. Is this a thing? If so, where do people advertise it? And how much should you charge for it?
Thanks!

I suspect you would need planning permission for the change in use from incidental garden room to an office.

Does it have its own water supply or would the office tenant come into your house to use the toilet or fill their kettle?

Just because you have built it doesnt mean you can use it as a separate business premises.

No plumbing so they'd need to use ours. Although we could get that put in as there's a separate room at the back that could be turned into a toilet.

We didn't actually build it. It was already here when we moved in, we just renovated it.

I thought that you only needed planning permission if you were using it as a self contained living space- and that we'd just need to check if our mortgage lender and insurance allowed it. But maybe I'm wrong?

Insurance?
Access to drinking water, toilet and handwashing facilities?

You’d absolutely need a toilet and washing facilities. Quite aside from anything else, would you want them coming into your house to use your toilet? Would you give them a key so they could get in when you were out? The logistics don’t work.

Not sure how you’d even advertise it, either.

I doubt if you could rent it for much. A local hotel is renting “office desks” for £20 per day, including unlimited tea/coffee, reduced cost of lunch and other benefits. But worth exploring

You are changing the use of the garden room to a separate office premises (own access, rented by someone else). Change of use generally requires planning permission. Check with your local council.

I can't see many people wanting ro rent an office but have to go into your home any time they need the toilet or to fill a kettle. If you go out or go on holiday, they would be stuffed.

I wouldn't mind them using our facilities in the same way a lodger would. We just can't have overnight lodgers, but no problem with them using our bathroom and kitchen during the day.

You absolutely can rent it out but it will be easier if you do it with a toilet. Otherwise you ideally need a woman that you find through word of mouth. People are desperate for work from home space it won’t be hard.

Interesting. Could you send a link to that?

I have just looked on their website, but there is no mention. I think it’s a new thing and they are advertising on a blackboard outside the pub.

I could 100% see a beauty therapist renting this

Then there would be clients also needing to use the OP's loo, and parking is likely to be an issue.

Sounds like we might need to put a loo in, which wouldn't be that hard.

It would need planning permission.

As a garden room it can be used for purposes incidental to the house. Renting to others who don't live in the house is not incidental. It would be a change of use.

You’d also need public liability insurance as well as permission to run a business from your home. And tell your house insurance.

There are plenty of purpose built co working spaces now. This one is £79 a month for a dedicated desk with storage. See what’s available locally.

I think you’d need to consider whether there would actually be demand for this. There are dedicated co-working spaces, as well as coffee shops, hotels, libraries. Any office space where you’d be on someone else’s property would feel pretty awkward imho. Do you think you can genuinely find customers for this?

Ha! I wonder if you live where my daughter does! Same price, same deal, same recent blackboard appearance outside her local pub!

Ah. ETA that it can't be, as that one does mention it on their website!

I'm not sure. I have friends who are solicitors but live in small flats with children so can't work from home, they're not able to take confidential phone calls in co working spaces, and they aren't allowed to use public WiFi. So I thought someone like that might be interested?

You need planning for change of use
for various reasons including, for example parking

Give your local planning department a call

There's an app called Reef where you can fud out all the HOTELS PUBS AND local businesses renting out space like this.

Yes, you'd need change of use permission.

Would you be providing the secure wifi?

There's some advice re the legalities on this site for a company which builds them: Can I Rent Out My Garden Room in the UK? Legal Guide 2025

You can’t just decide to run a business in your garden without planning permission!

Not without running water!