Renting a Permitted Rumpus Room

[Austin N.]

Hello BP! I am currently analyzing a "duplex" in Los Angeles County that has a main house, free standing second unit, and free standing rumpus room (with bath). From my research and discussions with the city, all of it is permitted. The current owners are living in the front house (which they blocked off a door and are renting a big room as a "studio" with separate entrance), renting the second unit, and renting out the rumpus room. In total, 4 rentable areas.

Is it legal to rent out a legally permitted rumpus room?

If so, if the tenant stops paying and I need to evict, will there be any issues getting occupancy/back rent?

For the front house, is it legal to cover a door (with cabinets) and rent out a portion of the house? Appears to be the same as "renting by the room"

Thanks!

[Jon Schwartz]

Originally posted by @Austin N.:

Hello BP! I am currently analyzing a "duplex" in Los Angeles County that has a main house, free standing second unit, and free standing rumpus room (with bath). From my research and discussions with the city, all of it is permitted. The current owners are living in the front house (which they blocked off a door and are renting a big room as a "studio" with separate entrance), renting the second unit, and renting out the rumpus room. In total, 4 rentable areas.

Is it legal to rent out a legally permitted rumpus room?

If so, if the tenant stops paying and I need to evict, will there be any issues getting occupancy/back rent?

For the front house, is it legal to cover a door (with cabinets) and rent out a portion of the house? Appears to be the same as "renting by the room"

Thanks!

Austin,

Renting the rumpus room -- and I'm going to start calling it a "recreation room" because I believe that's the more formal lingo -- is most likely not legal because it's most likely not permitted for occupancy.

My last home had a permitted, free-standing recreation room with a half bath in the back yard. It was fully permitted, but not permitted for occupancy. I would assume that's the case with the rec room at this property.

You have to make sure that the rec room is permitted for occupancy -- which I believe means having a separate certificate of occupancy. If it's not currently permitted for occupancy, you'd need to get it permitted as an ADU to make renting it legal. If the construction was permitted to begin with and performed in the last few years, than the structure should already be to current code, which is required for ADU permitting.

Any lawyers here able to weigh in on the tenant in the rec room? Even if the space isn't legal, the tenant has CA tenants' rights. In general, though, if you do successfully evict a tenant, the only way to get back rent is to sue and collect. Suing isn't hard, but collecting back rent sure is!

Regarding the room in the front house rented as a studio -- it does seem equivalent to renting a room in a house, though I wonder if there are any code or safety violations broken by blocking the door. Probably not, as the rented room as its own exit.

Good luck!

Jon