What is splitting a house?
Splitting a house means converting and/or legally dividing one dwelling into two or more self-contained homes, to rent out or sell. Each unit gets its own facilities such as kitchen, bathroom and toilet. If you only let rooms and tenants share the kitchen or bathroom, that is room letting, not splitting. In English this is usually called converting a house into flats.
Physical and legal splitting
- Physical (building) split. The building is altered so that several self-contained homes exist, but legally it remains one property. You can rent out the extra unit, but not sell it separately.
- Legal split. The property is divided into separate titles (for example flats or apartment units) that can each be sold. The owners then share responsibility for common parts such as roof, facade and services, often through an owners’ association or management arrangement. The Dutch term splitsen covers both steps; in the Netherlands the legal split is done by a notarial deed dividing the property into apartment rights.
Rules
Requirements depend entirely on where you live: planning rules, building regulations and local housing policy all play a part. Always check with your local planning and building control authority before you start. Typical topics are fire separation, sound insulation, escape routes, daylight, ventilation and parking.
Application
- Start with the authority. Before buying or designing, find out whether splitting is allowed at your address and which approvals are needed.
- Make each home a separate fire compartment with fire-resisting walls and floors, smoke alarms and a safe escape route.
- Plan sound insulation. Separating walls and especially separating floors are often the biggest task. Have them assessed in advance.
- Separate utilities. Expect separate meters for electricity, water and possibly gas.
- Mortgage. Get your lender’s consent before converting or letting.
- Keep a contingency budget; old buildings often hold surprises once opened up.
Common mistake: carrying out the conversion first and applying for approval afterwards. If the split is refused, you are left with an expensive conversion you cannot use as intended.
Related terms
- Kangaroo house
- Duplex dwelling
- Back-to-back house
- Building permit
- Zoning plan
- Fire compartment
- Fire resistance
- Sound insulation
Want to know more about building terms? Visit our knowledge base at fredsdiyplans.com.