Meeting clients in my garden (office)

[rowley birkin]

Presently I rent a small city centre office, which I cannot use due to the travel restrictions, so I have been working from home and I am considering a permanent move to a small stand-alone office in my garden.

I work as a sole trader (no employees) in a consultancy role and in a typical week I will need to meet approx. 6 clients in person at my office. All meetings are held during usual office hours. If clients come to my home then there won't be any need for on-street parking as I have plenty of space on my driveway.

The office building itself won't need planning permission (I will keep within the 'permitted development' criteria) but I have heard that I might need planning permission because clients will be coming to my home? I have e-mailed an enquiry to my local council, but would be interested to hear thoughts on the likelihood of getting planning permission should it be required.

[Mr Pointy]

Honestly I wouldn't have flagged it up to the council - just go ahead & do it & wait until someone complains. It's not like it's going to create noise or disturbance.

Dont forget the insurances you'll need.

[rowley birkin]

Mr Pointy said:

Honestly I wouldn't have flagged it up to the council - just go ahead & do it & wait until someone complains. It's not like it's going to create noise or disturbance.

Dont forget the insurances you'll need.

That's the point - I have nosey, retired neighbours who could complain just to give themselves something to do....I don't want to take any chances.

[Equus]

There's no strict and well-defined threshold, but the general rule of thumb is that you can operate a business from home without Planning Permission provided the nature and operation of the business does not result in a material change to the residential character of the area.

See further guidance here

I very much doubt that half a dozen additional visitors per week would be viewed as breaching that threshold, but in any case:

• Planning are likely to take a very sympathetic view at present.
• The worst they would do in the fist instance would be to ask you to submit a retrospective Planning application. If you failed to do that, the enforcement process can string out many months before there woudl be any significant outcome. Either Covid will have gone away, or we'll all be dead, long before it came to a head.

Edited by Equus on Monday 4th May 14:24

[rowley birkin]

Equus said:

There's no strict and well-defined threshold, but the general rule of thumb is that you can operate a business from home without Planning Permission provided the nature and operation of the business does not result in a material change to the residential character of the area.

See further guidance here

I very much doubt that half additional visitors per week would be viewed as breaching that threshold, but in any case:

• Planning are likely to take a very sympathetic view at present.
• The worst they would do in the fist instance would be to ask you to submit a retrospective Planning application. If you failed to do that, the enforcement process can string out many months before there woudl be any significant outcome. Either Covid will have gone away, or we'll all be dead, long before it came to a head.

Many thanks for this, very helpful.

[Canute]

Might be worth checking your insurance and mortgage

[Doofus]

Sorry, OT, but what sort of consultant gets the clients to visit them?

Genuine question. I often say to people "If you were really important, they'd come to you." But I've never entirely believed it...

[rowley birkin]

Doofus said:

Sorry, OT, but what sort of consultant gets the clients to visit them?

Genuine question. I often say to people "If you were really important, they'd come to you." But I've never entirely believed it...

Some of my clients are desperate

[Simpo Two]

Equus said:

There's no strict and well-defined threshold, but the general rule of thumb is that you can operate a business from home without Planning Permission provided the nature and operation of the business does not result in a material change to the residential character of the area.

It worked perfectly well for me for 25+ years.

A jobsworth might say 'What about PL insurance in case they trip over your carpet?' but in reality it wasn't an issue.

[Mr Pointy]

Simpo Two said:

It worked perfectly well for me for 25+ years.

A jobsworth might say 'What about PL insurance in case they trip over your carpet?' but in reality it wasn't an issue.

Now I see insurance as being far more important than getting council approval. The chance of an event might be low, but the impact could be enormous (client trips on a rug, hits his head on the coffee table, needs constant care for the rest of his life, you lose your house).

[sunbeam alpine]

rowley birkin said:

Doofus said:

Sorry, OT, but what sort of consultant gets the clients to visit them?

Genuine question. I often say to people "If you were really important, they'd come to you." But I've never entirely believed it...

Some of my clients are desperate

Did you not notice the OP's name?

You'd never expect him to find a client's address.

I'm just slightly disappointed that he's not receiving them in his club!

[rowley birkin]

Many thanks for the replies, I will consider the insurance implications if and when I am sober.

[DoubleD]

Simpo Two said:

It worked perfectly well for me for 25+ years.

A jobsworth might say 'What about PL insurance in case they trip over your carpet?' but in reality it wasn't an issue.

Because they didnt trip over, but what if they had?

[s2sol]

Simpo Two said:

It worked perfectly well for me for 25+ years.

A jobsworth might say 'What about PL insurance in case they trip over your carpet?' but in reality it wasn't an issue.

Surely all insurance is based on what if scenarios? Granted, motor insurance is a legal requirement, but home, contents,PL, pet etc is purely based on potential unfortunate outcomes. If it were guaranteed that someone would fall over your carpet, no insurance company would cover the risk. My dog is insured, but I hope I'll never have to claim.

[Simpo Two]

DoubleD said:

Because they didnt trip over, but what if they had?

I did actually load myself up with PL and PI at the start, then decided it was overkill. I took the view that (a) I was competent at my job, (b) the probability of a healthy adult maiming or fatally injuring themselves whilst crossing 15 feet of level fitted carpet between door and sofa was a risk I could take.

And I did say 'A jobsworth might say'...

[Drawweight]

O/T when I was a franchisee the company I was franchised to had me on their Public Liability policy.

They used to charge me the magnificence sum of 50p a week which eventually stopped as it was probably more trouble to collect than not.

[Eric Mc]

rowley birkin said:

Equus said:

There's no strict and well-defined threshold, but the general rule of thumb is that you can operate a business from home without Planning Permission provided the nature and operation of the business does not result in a material change to the residential character of the area.

See further guidance here

I very much doubt that half additional visitors per week would be viewed as breaching that threshold, but in any case:

• Planning are likely to take a very sympathetic view at present.
• The worst they would do in the fist instance would be to ask you to submit a retrospective Planning application. If you failed to do that, the enforcement process can string out many months before there woudl be any significant outcome. Either Covid will have gone away, or we'll all be dead, long before it came to a head.

Many thanks for this, very helpful.

That is exactly right. However, different councils take different approaches sometimes. On the whole, if the business does not detract from the residential aspect of the property or does not impact your neighbours, most councils won't have an issue.

[anonymous-user]

I would also check your house deeds as this can include restrictions.