Is it illegal for me to rent rooms in my house?

[Cochrane]

My thai girlfriend and I live in a four bedroom house. We use one bedroom and our idea is to rent the other three bedrooms and share the rest of the house.

I understand that we must submit a TM30 to Immigration for all foreigners that may stay with us. Are there any other requirements? We would like to offer the rooms for Daily Weekly and Monthly rates, is this allowed? Any information would be gratefully received. Thanks.

[Peterw42]

I think you will find you can only do monthly rentals as less requires a hotel license. Also, if you are renting, sublet may not be allowed in your lease.

Accommodation is cheap in Thailand, not sure that you will find many people interested in share accommodation (with strangers) and all the disadvantages, share bathroom and kitchen.

[Cochrane]

The house is owned outright in a Company name. I wondered if because there are no more than three rooms we might be exempt from needing a Hotel Licence.?

 

[Small Joke]

Google airBnB Thailand. 

Your answers are there,  but not what you'll be wanting to hear. 

[FritsSikkink]

"We would like to offer the rooms"

You can't do anything as you don't have a work permit.

[Peterw42]

Maybe legal as only a few rooms etc. I really think you need to think about what you are offering and who you think will be staying for a day/week.

Are you providing a hotel room, linen. towels, cleaning, cable tv, internet, airconn, no charge for electricity etc. Anyone staying for a day/week would expect all of this, they wont be bringing their own linen/towels etc and how would you bill them for electricity.

For 500 baht a night, a tourist can have all the above services and their own private bathroom.

The only, maybe, viable option would be long term rental, and even then, who would seriously want to stay in share accommodation when your own private, inexpensive accommodation is available. 

Maybe a local Thai student/factory worker but it would need to be ridiculously cheap otherwise they would just get their own 3,000 baht a month room.

 

Edited September 1, 2018 by Peterw42

[Gulfsailor]

It's called home stay and perfectly fine. Only when you rent out more than 4 rooms/keys do you need a hotel license. 

[Cochrane]

Is Homestay different from Airbnb?

 

[NCC1701A]

don't make the house look like a hotel. no signs or front desk. illegal without permit.

you will have to fly under the radar for advertising.

 

you would be better off trying to find a few long term renters instead of tourist.

 

once you begin reporting to immigration you will need to pay taxes on your income.

 

If this house has a big common area, make sure you have a plan for keeping illegal items, like drugs, confined to your guests rooms.

 

is a Farang going to be doing any work that is on the restricted jobs list? No can. 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

[NCC1701A]

6 minutes ago, Cochrane said:

Is Homestay different from Airbnb?

 

there is a story in the big newspaper we can't quote here. it has some examples of what is illegal.

 

the Thai hotel association wants all illegal hotels shut down in Thailand.

 

Thais make just about all new internet app based businesses that compete with them illegal because they can't deal with it.   

 

 

[Vacuum]

1 hour ago, Cochrane said:

We use one bedroom and our idea is to rent the other three bedrooms and share the rest of the house.

I'd rather sleep on a park bench or in the car, than sharing the house with unknown people. And this inclued in-laws.

Edited September 1, 2018 by Vacuum

[Cochrane]

You say that you'd rather sleep on a park bench? There'd be a few more unknown people there I think. 

[Cochrane]

The house has only three keys (available rooms to rent) and is therefore a Type 0 Hotel  (exempt from requiring a Hotel Licence).

There are no Leasehold Restrictions (unlike Condos) such as those that were enforced by the Courts.

Owner/Occupier is proof of Homestay status.

TM30 forms will be completed as and when required.

All common sense items (smoke alarms etc) will be installed/provided.

No wives of any nationality will be informed.

 

Based on the above I think it's legal to rent out the spare bedrooms of the house.

 

Any comments for or against would be welcome. Thanks.

 

[NCC1701A]

17 hours ago, Cochrane said:

No wives of any nationality will be informed. 

looks like you thought of everything.

[PerkinsCuthbert]

22 hours ago, Vacuum said:

I'd rather sleep on a park bench or in the car, than sharing the house with unknown people. And this inclued in-laws.

I make the in-laws sleep at the local wat, far more comfortable for Mrs Perkins and I.

[Briggsy]

23 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

For 500 baht a night, a tourist can have all the above services and their own private bathroom.

I see you are unfamiliar with the backpacker scene. ?

[Sprigger]

19 hours ago, Cochrane said:

The house has only three keys (available rooms to rent) and is therefore a Type 0 Hotel  (exempt from requiring a Hotel Licence).

There are no Leasehold Restrictions (unlike Condos) such as those that were enforced by the Courts.

Owner/Occupier is proof of Homestay status.

TM30 forms will be completed as and when required.

All common sense items (smoke alarms etc) will be installed/provided.

No wives of any nationality will be informed.

 

Based on the above I think it's legal to rent out the spare bedrooms of the house.

 

Any comments for or against would be welcome. Thanks.

 

And your willing to share your house with any old dosser, crazy idea. Or are we desperately short of cash.

[nickmondo]

as mentioned by many of the people above, it is a non starter mate.

dont even think about it.

if you want to do this, go to Europe, Australasia, USA, etc.

Dont even think about it in Thailand

[Chrisswe]

Another question: can an condominium project owner change from condominium to condotel 1 year after we has moved in !??

 

 

[Peterw42]

27 minutes ago, Chrisswe said:

Another question: can an condominium project owner change from condominium to condotel 1 year after we has moved in !??

 

 

There isnt really such a thing as a Condotel, it refers to the now illegal (without a hotel license) practice of operating a condo block as a hotel, ie: doing short term rentals less than a month. Nowadays its strictly a condo or a hotel.

Theoretically a developer could get a hotel license and turn part of a building into a hotel, floors 1-10 are a condominium and floors 10-20 have a hotel license. There are some buildings that already operate like that in Bangkok.

The building would probably need to be purpose built as such from the start. 

[Wake Up]

You need to understand a group of people including me hate what you are doing. I hate it because condo buyers rent to party guests in BKK condos and cause trouble for long term tenants and owners. They violate the law and act like they can do anything they want. Will be same for your neighbors. More cars, more people your neighbors  don’t know in their neighborhood, more trash, more intrusion on neighborhood peace and quiet and safety. So I hope you reconsider and if not I hope the first time you have a problem with unruly short time renters you don’t expect help from neighbors or police or anyone. I also hope you get busted pay a fine and quit short time renting. Want to be a hotel operator then great buy a hotel.  

[Wake Up]

On 9/1/2018 at 12:38 AM, Cochrane said:

The house is owned outright in a Company name. I wondered if because there are no more than three rooms we might be exempt from needing a Hotel Licence.?

 

Sounds like you have put zero effort into learning about being a landlord. You just focus on making money and do not focus on your responsibilities to your neighborhood and neighbors. Don’t let the myths of AirBNB fool you. Accepting people into your house is dangerous and illegal unless you rent a month at a time or own a hotel. Buy. a hotel or motel or what the Thais call a resort. Don’t rent out your home. Making money takes effort and study and experience. Sounds likes you are zero for three. 

Edited September 2, 2018 by Wake Up

[Chrisswe]

16 hours ago, Chrisswe said:

Another question: can an condominium project owner change from condominium to condotel 1 year after we has moved in !??

 

 

I mean in my case "we are condo owner" we has living in our room for 1 year , suddenly the project owner will change from condo to Hotel , that totally change the selling intention , we purchase a room in a condo not in a Hotel !!!

[Spidey]

13 hours ago, Wake Up said:

You need to understand a group of people including me hate what you are doing. I hate it because condo buyers rent to party guests in BKK condos and cause trouble for long term tenants and owners. They violate the law and act like they can do anything they want. Will be same for your neighbors. More cars, more people your neighbors  don’t know in their neighborhood, more trash, more intrusion on neighborhood peace and quiet and safety. So I hope you reconsider and if not I hope the first time you have a problem with unruly short time renters you don’t expect help from neighbors or police or anyone. I also hope you get busted pay a fine and quit short time renting. Want to be a hotel operator then great buy a hotel.  

It's a house not a condo, get off your soapbox.

 

I would try to rent to professional Thais, temporarily working in the area. Bank workers often find themselves in this situation.

 

BTW. If you are thinking of renting to farang holidaymakers, is it guest friendly?

[Wake Up]

5 hours ago, Spidey said:

It's a house not a condo, get off your soapbox.

 

I would try to rent to professional Thais, temporarily working in the area. Bank workers often find themselves in this situation.

 

BTW. If you are thinking of renting to farang holidaymakers, is it guest friendly?

What I said applies to house as well as condo. You like others are free to break the law and invest your money as you see fit. I predict a bad outcome for you. You are not experienced or studying or putting any real effort into trying to make money. Don’t wish any harm to come to you but your idea is lazy and foolish and will fail because you refuse to do any hard work to come to a good decision. 

[brucec64]

3 minutes ago, Wake Up said:

What I said applies to house as well as condo. You like others are free to break the law and invest your money as you see fit. I predict a bad outcome for you. You are not experienced or studying or putting any real effort into trying to make money. Don’t wish any harm to come to you but your idea is lazy and foolish and will fail because you refuse to do any hard work to come to a good decision. 

Were you ever young and happy or were you born an angry old man?

[Wake Up]

5 hours ago, brucec64 said:

Were you ever young and happy or were you born an angry old man?

He is asking investment advice. With investments you need accurate information not a cheerleader encouraging a risky uneducated venture. But thanks for your concern. ?

[sandyf]

16 hours ago, Wake Up said:

What I said applies to house as well as condo.  

Wrong the rules are different and so is the concept.

The OP stuck his neck out asking on here, too many angry condo owners to get a constructive response. As far as they are concerned everyone looking for accommodation are noisy dangerous drunks.

Currently myself and the family are in a nice 2 bedroom house near Wang Phong rented through Airbnb, despite what you try and make out, not everything is illegal.

[Wake Up]

13 hours ago, sandyf said:

Wrong the rules are different and so is the concept.

The OP stuck his neck out asking on here, too many angry condo owners to get a constructive response. As far as they are concerned everyone looking for accommodation are noisy dangerous drunks.

Currently myself and the family are in a nice 2 bedroom house near Wang Phong rented through Airbnb, despite what you try and make out, not everything is illegal.

If you are renting a month or more it is legal. Less than a month illegal house or condo unless you have a resort hotel license.   Don’t take general comments on this forum so personally. Not an attack on your way of life. The rule is renting less than one month is illegal and that was the OPs inquiry. And Airbnb is not in favor in Thailand by the government or its people. Those are facts and no one is discussing your personal limited situation. Enjoy your life. 

Edited September 4, 2018 by Wake Up

[Cochrane]

Yes, the whole idea is to be friendly and welcoming to all in an ordinary way. Guest friendly? Yes. Unfriendy behaviour? No. 

 

As to breaking the law? Absolutely not. As to investing as we see fit? Jesus H Christ, surely there is no other way!

 

We are not a Condo. Any guests we have will be less troublesome than many of my neighbours noisy dogs. Also, at present we are a couple living in a four bedroomed house. Many of our neighbours have two bedroomed houses with Mum, Dad, Siblings and kids, three dogs (maybe four) and a fighting Cockerel! The other neighbours don't like dogs ... so they plump for a few cats to keep the peace.

 

We have kids playing football (usually with a flatish ball) with Grandma and/or Grandpa keeping an eye out for them whilst Mum and Dad go to work. It is real life, and that is what we want to our guests to experience. Not Walking Street, Soi 6, Soi Buckaow, etc etc. Have those of you who are bitching forgotten what real life is about?

 

Spidey,  thanks for the heads up about professional Thais. Excellent suggestion that we have taken on board.