“Tiny Houses” are very small houses, often built on trailers so as to be portable, much like a caravan. They have been associated with environmentalists who want to reduce the space and materials they use. They have also been suggested as an option for older people wanting to live in a small, self contained space.
Like a Movable Unit you will need to have a friend, family member with a place to park your Tiny House. However they are not usually available for rent, you’ll have to buy one, or build your own. Tiny Houses are usually not connected to mains power, water, or sewerage. You may be able to borrow these facilities from a main house, or equip them with solar panels and water tanks.
There are also some groups of people getting together to build affordable tiny houses together in their community. If you hear of such a project in your community, such as this one in Geelong facebook.com/groups/microvillage/ you might want to get involved – keeping in mind that they may not be built yet, and there may be significant costs involved.
| Cost before you move in | To buy a tiny houses can cost from $10,000 for a really tiny tiny house, up to $150,000 for a larger, custom built house with all the fittings. |
| Cost each fortnight | You will need to make arrangements to pay rent or buy the land that you park your Tiny House. |
| Eligibility | Anyone can live in a tiny house, but they need land to place it. Tiny Houses have been used to get around council regulations prohibiting permanent buildings, because they are movable, however many councils have closed these loopholes and demanded Tiny Houses be relocated. |
| Location | Finding a suitable place for a Tiny House can be a challenge. Make sure to have a suitable, permanent location for your Tiny House before building or buying one. |
| Changes you can make to your house | A tiny house is yours to make and modify. Many tiny houses have 2 stories and have steep stairs to access bedrooms. They are not built to Universal Accessible Housing Design principles, so may present problems for you as you age. |
| How long can you stay there? | If you don’t own the land to park your Tiny House, the owners can ask you to leave. |
All information contained on these pages is general in nature, and should not be considered advice. Information will be subject to change. Please contact us to discuss your individual circumstances.