Renting a room at home, the good idea to make ends meet explained by your conciergerie in Labenne

When we think of rental investment, we think first of all of the purchase of a dwelling that is intended for rental. However, there is a very simple way for individuals to make ends meet by renting: renting a room at home. Do you have an unused bedroom, an extension or even a room in your main residence that you can transform? What if you take advantage of this opportunity to make your home profitable and improve your quality of life? This solution, accessible to all owners, is very advantageous and allows you to acquire attractive monthly income. Your Labenne concierge will explain the regulations in force for renting part of your main residence and how to take advantage of this opportunity. 

Why rent part of your main residence

Unlike an average rental investment, renting a room at home does not require a personal contribution, discussion with your bank, or borrowing again over the long term with successive interest. Your primary residence is the investment, so renting out part of your home will only be a positive return on your home. 

The cash flow and the "return on investment" will be much higher than for a normal vacation rental. You can of course rent your rooms empty or furnished. Beware, however, of the tax regime, which will not be the same: 

• An empty rental will enter your tax sheet as property income. 
• A furnished rental will be taxed as BIC income (Industrial and Commercial Profits).

Note that for a furnished room, you can benefit from a 50% reduction on the annual amount of your rental income as long as it does not exceed €32. Enough to end up making this unused room profitable. 

The rules to follow to rent a room at home

Like any process, renting out part of your main residence is subject to restrictions put in place by the government. 

Legislative obligations for renting part of your residence 

Your room, studio or extension must meet a number of criteria to be eligible for rental. Indeed, the room must measure 9 m2 minimum (to be considered as a bedroom) with a ceiling located at 2,20 m in height. The dwelling must have a window allowing daylight to enter. In addition, your accommodation must be considered decent, that is to say not jeopardize the physical safety or health of your tenant. It must respect the energy criteria in force and include the minimum to ensure residential use. 

If you want to start a furnished rental, your Labenne concierge advises you to ensure that you provide the minimum furniture such as the necessary for sleeping (bedding with a duvet and pillow), for eating (a table and chairs in sufficient quantity), as well as curtains or window shutters, storage and light fixtures. 

As a landlord, and although the accommodation is part of your residence, you must respect your tenant's privacy. This is why, throughout the duration of the lease, the lessor is normally prohibited from entering the tenancy. 

The rent of your room

You do not have the freedom to rent your room at any price. The rent for your room depends on the geographical area of ​​your accommodation. In an area considered "tense", you can assess the rent at your convenience. However, it will be impossible for you to increase it if you change tenants. Also note that for accommodation located in Paris, the rent is capped.

The difficulty in this type of rental is to assess the charges as best as possible. Indeed, the use of electricity, gas or water will depend on the habits of your tenant. There are no rules to regulate the amount of charges associated with rent. Your Labenne concierge advises you to adopt a monthly flat rate to be shown on the receipt. To assess consumption as accurately as possible, take into account the size of the accommodation, the equipment and the number of occupants. 

Drafting the lease

The drafting of the lease will depend on the type of rental desired. For seasonal rentals, the lease is automatically generated by online booking platforms such as Airbnb or Booking. However, if you want to start a long-term rental, you can sign a mobility lease or a classic lease depending on your tenant's situation. In the case of renting a room, you must notify in an amendment to the lease, the agreement on the use of common areas by both parties. We advise all owners to add rules of procedure when signing the lease to establish the rules of life concerning visits or waste management. 

Your Labenne concierge helps you manage your Airbnb rentals

Although renting part of your main residence will allow you greater logistical ease, your Labenne Concierge can accompany you in your steps and take care of the management of your room. One of the reasons why YourHostHelper ranks number 1 in the French concierge system is that we allow our owners great freedom. 

Your concierge service in Labenne does not work thanks to commitments. We want you to be able to regain control of your rental at any time. That's why you can choose the services of our management agency even to rent a room at home. Are you going on vacation or are you unable to manage the vagaries of your rental? Your YourHostHelper concierge takes care of it for you. 

For all individuals with too much space, renting part of their main residence is a very simple and profitable way to take advantage of unused spaces. But before offering a room for rent, make sure it falls within the scope of the legislation. Also take a look at the most interesting tax regime to adopt for renting a furnished or unfurnished room at home. Your concierge service in Labenne can advise you in your steps and acts as a support if you wish to delegate the management of your rental.