Log cabin for childminding

Morning everybody

I've read lots of things on the Internet about childminders using log cabins for childminding
I've got one in my garden, not sure of the size but has one large room, a kitchen area and another tiny room separated by a door. All we seem to use it for is junk and fitness equipment, which never gets used lol
My concerns about using it are:
What do you do when someone needs the toilet, children sleeping, I feel that it's too far away from the house to keep popping back for the toilet or putting a sleeping child in the house even with a monitor
It hasn't currently got electricity but that not a problem to do, but what about water, cooking meals etc
What are ofsted like with registering you do use a cabin?
I would really love to use it as my house might still resemble a home and not a nursery
Any advice would be greatly appreciated

my understanding is that in order to be a home based setting - the place you work in has to be attached to/part of the house!

we were thinking of buying an old police house, that also had the old police station ( 2 rooms & a loo, plus a cell :laughing: ) to the side and in order to be able to use it as my childminding rooms, we would have had to have put a 'conservatory/corridor' between the two buildings. actually, we seriously considered doing this, but sadly the house was sold privately BEFORE the auction it was due to be sold at! GRRR!

Could you use it as well as your house. Using the house for sleeping, meals

You have to be very careful about using non-permanent structures for work purposes as you might fall foul of planning regulations.

It is always best to take advice from the planning office first.

There might be issues with council tax too because of the laws surrounding whether parts of the house areused solely for childminding or by the family as well - best check! :D

Could you not just use it as a playhouse/messy play room etc? Sounds fab!

That's what I was thinking. If I could have the majority of toys in there, children could access the garden more easily and I would be able to watch them. Someone I have spoken to says they use theirs for play and eat and sleep in the house. She uses a baby monitor if a child is asleep in the house and they are in the cabin. I can't see that this is any different from child asleep in the house, childminder and other mindees in the garden
I have just sent an email to local planning officer and wait to hear back from them
My 7 year old would probably use the cabin so it wouldn't be wholly for business use

Also should have asked - is it ok for mindees to use a camping toilet as the cabin has a small separate room, with a door, which I could use as a toilet

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sarah707

You have to be very careful about using non-permanent structures for work purposes as you might fall foul of planning regulations.

It is always best to take advice from the planning office first.

There might be issues with council tax too because of the laws surrounding whether parts of the house areused solely for childminding or by the family as well - best check! :D

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Contacted the local planning office and they want £60 to tell me whether I need pp or not
I've looked on the planning portal and it says " the key test is: is it still mainly a home or has it become business premises?
My youngest will use it as well so it won't be solely for childminding

Hello, are you using it as a play room now? I'm looking into getting one too and would love to ask you a few questions x