Building a duplex and renting out a part - experiences

Don't do it.

Having your own tenants basically in the same building is the basic recipe for long-term stress. Just go to the landlord groups on the big blue portal - almost everyone who writes about problems is the one who has tenants in their own building. And as a semi-detached house owner, you don’t even have the simplified termination rights..

Alternatively, you could sell your owner-occupied semi-detached house, then move into the rented half. Then, in my opinion, no tax would be due?

Having your own tenants practically in the same building is the basic recipe for long-term stress.

It’s not only “RTL2 tenants” everywhere. Ultimately, you can take your time to choose who comes into the building. The demand is high, also from pleasant tenants.

It's not only "RTL2 tenants" everywhere. You can ultimately calmly choose who comes into the house. The demand is high, also from pleasant tenants.

In theory, certainly. It doesn't have to be an RTL2 tenant (the overlap between RTL2 and semi-detached house tenants probably isn't very large either). But things can change. Marriages can break down and the new partner might not be on your wavelength at all. Different noise tolerance, loud hobby, different idea of garden maintenance, etc. People can talk a lot. Once the contract is signed, you're trapped.

Especially if you have no landlord experience, no network of tradespeople... I'll say it again, go into the groups and read the stories. Aside from the financial aspects. You need liquidity. I have a multi-family house, one apartment in it effectively made a loss this year due to repairs and maintenance.

So I wouldn't do it.

In theory, certainly.

Offer years of experience (my parents').

Offering years of experience (of my parents).

In recent years, however, the internet has brought increasing transparency to the topic of tenancy law. I have two property managers in my family who manage over 1000 units together, one with 11 and the other with 19 years in the business. They also say: In the past, more was accepted without discussion; today, the tenant types "is my landlord allowed to x" into Google and gets not only an answer about the legal situation but also hundreds of posts on which formal errors can be used to get out of all kinds of obligations. I mean this completely unemotionally, I rent out 9 units myself, but almost every letter from me goes through the hands of the managers and is checked by them for legal security. Plus the concentration risk: what do you do with 3,4,5,6 months of rent default? I also considered building a granny flat for renting out to strangers, but after the last 8 months in this business – a clear no. If anything, only for family or family-like friends.