I need a MASSIVE house to rent

[Phanerothyme 12]

If you want to use the spare bedrooms as offices/studios, then you'll need to be careful about your rental agreement. Lots of rental agreements specifically forbid you from using the rented property for business (otherwise the legal status is very different).

 

Stick a small Z-bed/futon/sofabed in there. Providing it is a guest bedroom I think that satisfies all the requirements.

[vinceb 10]

If you are using the office for business, how does sticking a spare bed in there change anything?

[Phanerothyme 12]

Because then it's not an office, it's a spare bedroom.

[vinceb 10]

What I mean is that if the contract's rules are framed along the lines of "The property shall not be used for carrying out any business or enterprise" which is the kind of wording I've seen frequently in rental agreements, then it won't matter whether or not there's a bed present in the room - you're still doing business and so will be in breach of the contract.

[Phanerothyme 12]

Yes you're right. I think I was remembering some detail, from a self-employment seminar about working from home, and how to avoid invalidating typical home insurance.

 

You are quite right that if you rent and there is a clause that prohibits running a business or enterprise from the premises, there's no way round it.

 

I guess it might be possible to find specific loopholes in specific contracts, but you'd want legal advice on that one I think.

[bunny 10]

well we only need the 'office' to store Cd's, T-shirts, records etc. We're in a band and sell quite a bit of merch on the road and from the website - thats the only reason we could use an extra room instead of storing it in our bedrooms or the living room etc.

 

cheers for the heads up. i'll remember in the future to put a futon/not put a futon in the room just in case.

[Phanerothyme 12]

well we only need the 'office' to store Cd's, T-shirts, records etc. We're in a band and sell quite a bit of merch on the road and from the website - thats the only reason we could use an extra room instead of storing it in our bedrooms or the living room etc.

 

cheers for the heads up. i'll remember in the future to put a futon/not put a futon in the room just in case.

 

That might help you get round home & contents insurance clauses, although you might not then be able to claim if someone broke in and nicked all your stock.

 

But it will not necessarily help you get round any rental agreement clauses.

 

As vinceb says, check your renting agreement carefully - you could be strictly forbidden to conduct any business or enterprise there.