Why You Should Consider Building a Granny Flat

How would you feel about having someone move into your place? We aren’t talking about a housemate or someone couch surfing. We are talking about someone having their own, self-contained granny flat on your property.

Great, so what’s a granny flat exactly?
Granny flats are becoming more common in Australian backyards. An odd name, granny flats are actually the term for a secondary dwelling on a property, no bigger than 60 square metres. Granny flats are fully self-contained, and can be attached to a house or garage, or built as a separate structure.

I don’t have a Granny, why should I build a granny flat?
It used to be more common for families to have their elderly relatives come and live with them. However, more people are using granny flats for other creative solutions. Granny flats are commonly being used as self-contained guest accommodation, a home office or business space, or providing a generous rental income while allowing people to still live in their own home. In fact, with rental properties in such high demand across the country, granny flats have become the smart solution for families wanting to invest in the rental market, and those looking for easy accommodation.

Granny flats could become a major source of cheap housing in Victoria, with the Andrews government to consider changes to strict rules preventing small backyard homes being rented out.

Victoria has some of the toughest regulations on granny flats in the nation.

Although it varies from council to council, those wanting to build a small cabin in their garden typically have to prove that the future occupant is a dependent person, such as a teenager or disabled elderly parent.

The granny flat also has to be removed if the person dies or moves out.