The following guide available for download advises building owners and prospective operators of the regulatory requirements of Rooming Houses that must be met prior to converting or commencing operation of such a facility.
Rooming Houses or Shared Accommodation are premises that operate as, but not limited to;
- Rooming House
- Boarding House
- Motel/Hotel
- Hostel
- Holiday Camp
Note: The information contained in this guide is not exhaustive. Further information should be sought prior to proceeding with the development of a shared accommodation building.
What is a Rooming House?
The Residential Tenancies Act 1997 describes a Rooming House as a building where:
- one or more rooms are available for rent and
- the total number of people who may occupy those rooms is four or more and
- each resident pays rent.
What do I have to do before operating a Rooming House?
Before operating a Rooming House/Shared Accommodation you may be required to meet a number of legal requirements associated with Council. This process generally consists of obtaining approval from a number of areas of Council as detailed in the following table.
Who do I need to contact at Council?
| Number of Proposed Occupants |
Planning |
Building |
Health |
| Building will accommodate less than 4 persons |
N/A
|
Y
|
N/A
|
| Building will accommodate 4 or more persons with 10 or less habitable rooms |
N/A*
|
Y
|
Y
|
| Building will accommodate 4 or more persons with 11 or more habitable rooms |
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N/A = No Approval Required
Y = Approval may be required, contact relevant service area
* Planning may need to be consulted depending on the planning zone
Information guide for Rooming Houses
Information guide for Rooming Houses (PDF, 272Kb)
Information guide for Rooming Houses (Doc, 88Kb)
