Is it possible to live in a commercial office space?

cantdecideaname

I am considering renting out an office space and also living there. Has anyone done this before? Is it legal? I know there are many office blocks that have showers and kitchen facilities. Any advice much appreciated.

jimmii

In most leases you are likely to find that it is only leased for business use. I guess you could be working late a lot and "accidentally" fall asleep in the Office! I'm sure people do it I was reading an article not so long ago with a Silicon Valley CEO (I think it may have been dropbox not sure) and he said there was one point where he was actually living in the Office as he had to give up the lease on his apartment.

cantdecideaname

Thanks so much jimmii!
With so many vacant offices at the moment I wondered would landlords be flexible and approach a new way of thinking.

They would still be receiving money for the rent. A wall bed could be used (there are some lovely ones out there). Just trying to think outside the box.

jimmii

They may be I would imagine they would want some hike in the rent if they were going to do that. I would have thought that there may issues with planning in some way for a property that is deemed commercial and being used as residential.

Peterdalkey

Live/ work units. http://www.independent.ie/unsorted/property/livework-units-on-the-rise-in-dublin-25915964.html

byronbay2

cantdecideaname wrote: »

I am considering renting out an office space and also living there. Has anyone done this before? Is it legal? I know there are many office blocks that have showers and kitchen facilities. Any advice much appreciated.

It has definitely been done before but I wouldn't mention it to the landlord, as it would undoubtedly be a violation of your lease. I also wouldn't buy a bed but just have a mattress (with sheets, duvet, pillows etc) stashed in a cupboard somewhere, to be brought out each night. Also, you need to think of it strictly as a short-term solution to your accommodation needs - you could probably get away with it for a few months (6 max) without the LL finding out.

irish_goat

The landlord may never find out depending on the nature of your business. I.e. if you're going to be there working at all hours anyway it mightn't suggest you're living there and if he/she isn't going to be landing in unannounced you'd have time to clear the bed away.

It would probably have a big impact on your social life though.

cantdecideaname

Wall beds seem like a great alternative to a mattress. They look great and are very practical.

bizzyb

I can't help but feel it would be a very lonely and mentally draining way of living.

No Pants

I'd be more worried about heating the place. Offices can get very cold at night.

Peterdalkey

Why not simply rent an apartment and dedicate part to workspace. The rent will be cheaper, no commercial rates, proper bathroom/laundry and cooking facilities and a real bed!

No Pants

Peterdalkey wrote: »

Why not simply rent an apartment and dedicate part to workspace. The rent will be cheaper, no commercial rates, proper bathroom/laundry and cooking facilities and a real bed!

Are there tax benefits to doing this too?

cantdecideaname

Thanks for all the replies! Alot to think about.

Money is tight so I'm weighing up the pros and cons of this unusual approach.


I have considered an apartment/studio but feel that a commercial and central space would be more attractive to clients. (I'm a therapist)

Also, any office space I have seen advertised- the price includes, heat, light, broadband, insurance and refuse charges. I doubt they would switch the heating off at night. Many offices use storage heaters for example or have people who work late.

cantdecideaname

No Pants wrote: »

Are there tax benefits to doing this too?

Also, I think there could be tax benefits

Graham

cantdecideaname wrote: »

Also, I think there could be tax benefits

Paying commercial rates on domestic accommodation may be a benefit to the local authority, not so much a benefit for the OP.

If you're planning to try and do this unofficially on the quiet, I really can't see it ending well.

Breach of planning regulations, breach of fire regulations, commercial rates on living accommodation etc etc etc etc. I'm sure this crops up every year or so in the Accommodation and Property forum.

Peterdalkey

There are tax allowances for both options but only for the expense which is incurred in the course of the business.
Depending on the type of therapy, office use planning may not permit your activity.
Assuming that the facilities are shared among a number of users, it won't be long before someone cops on and seeks to have you restrained from living there. If you have a commercial lease, you will still be liable for the rent for the term of the lease.
Lots of therapists use rooms in private dwellings to treat clients. What about finding shared facilities with existing therapists or medical practices.
The idea is far too extreme to solve a relatively simple challenge.

lucky john

I know a guy who as part of his business premises, has a canteen. To get the business of the ground in the early days (when finance was tight) he added a small living room and bed room connected to the canteen. After working hours it became his kitchen. Over time he built a nice house close to the work site and moved in when it was ready. Unfortunately, the economy then went to pot. He rented out the house and is back in the canteen but he is keepjng his head above water.

The downside. His social life was crap and at 50+ (surprisingly) he never found a partner willing to share a kitchen with the staff. While thinking outside the box to get the business going is all very well there are other considerations. In the long run this isn't the best idea. If you sneak in your bedroom you are asking for trouble. You could end up loosing you home and business premises in the one day if your landlord cops on. Either turn a room in a residential property into a work space or rent a property with living space above a work space. If at all possible try and put at least a wall between the two.

Muahahaha

No Pants wrote: »

I'd be more worried about heating the place. Offices can get very cold at night.

Plus electricity for offices is at the commercial rate and not the residential one so it would cost an arm and a leg.

OP your landlord would have had to apply for planning permission for use as an office so at a minimum you'd be in breach of both that and the lease. Sounds like you could lose your deposit if he were to find out.

Axwell

The insurance you would be paying as part of the business would not cover you living there, if anything happened you could land yourself in a lot of bother.

terryhobdell

just do it what can you loose the Public Service will never see you

The Pontiac

Dragons' Den Peter Jones lived in his office..

At almost 30 Jones was sleeping on a mattress on the floor in his office. But he hadn’t given up.

Fukuyama

Depends on how permanent you were to make the situation.

If you decide that paying two rents (personal and business) would scupper your chances, just kip it in the office. Get a roll up mattress along with a few cushions and you're sorted.

Just be sure to have them tucked away all the time as the landlord could be passing by and might want a work about something.

As a small business; just take the risk. You've not much to lose at this stage in the game. Do it for a few months and when things grow, move out.

Plus you've got a cool 'rags to riches' type story