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Two questions on rental house in Fairfax, VA
Posted by: ...in the 22039 ()
Date: March 09, 2013 07:12PM

I have two questions on renting a house in Fairfax County, VA.

1) If I rent a home which was built in 1980, does it have to have a handrailing or handrailings on the front steps? If it matters, there are 3 steps to the concrete porch/stoop.

2) In a basement, what can I LEGALLY call a bedroom? As I understand, each room has to have two forms of an exit - this could be the entry door to the bedroom (or room which I want to call the bedroom), plus a window - but the window MUST be a real window, or usual size, not the little basement windows.

But can a second door on the other side of the room make a room a "legal" bedroom? The room is 12x24 w/ a door towards each end, plus the aforementioned small basement window.

Thanks in advance - I checked the Fairfax County Zoning Website, but couldn't find much.

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Re: Two questions on rental house in Fairfax, VA
Posted by: Exppppp ()
Date: March 09, 2013 08:47PM

Ask a realtor...

Or possibly advertise as "Basement for rent" or possible 3/4
Bedroom with finished basement

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Re: Two questions on rental house in Fairfax, VA
Posted by: Also ()
Date: March 09, 2013 08:49PM

Also. Home owner association would be the standard for the railing. I think..
In my experience at least. I grew up in a home with cement steps. No railing. Someone else has a railing . Same house. She is an older woman.... No home owner association.

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Re: Two questions on rental house in Fairfax, VA
Posted by: Landlord ()
Date: March 09, 2013 08:59PM

1. I've never heard of a requirement for handrails, irrespective of when the home was built. Actually, it would never even occur to me that there might be such a requirement, especially for three steps. Nonetheless, there might indeed be such a rule. I would call the zoning office. They should at least be able to point you in the right direction.

2. As you know, the definition of a bedroom is very specific. Here's an article that might help:

http://blog.wethmangroup.com/2010/04/09/bedrooms-defined/

I'm having a hard time picturing your specific configuration. It appears that you do not have a large enough basement window, and are relying on the two doors as forms of egress. From my understanding (which you need to verify), the legality of calling the room a bedroom depends on where the doors lead to. At least one must provide access directly to the outside. That is the whole point of the requirement - escape in the event of a fire. So if you have a door leading to the basement, plus another leading to the outside, I believe (but can't confirm) that you're covered.

Having said that, it appears that you are attempting to pass a basement family room off as another bedroom. I'm not sure that that is your best strategy. If you're looking to squeeze the most people into the place, maybe - but that comes with a downside.

Hope that helps.

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Re: Two questions on rental house in Fairfax, VA
Posted by: Landlord ()
Date: March 09, 2013 09:12PM

Exppppp Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ask a realtor...
>
> Or possibly advertise as "Basement for rent" or
> possible 3/4
> Bedroom with finished basement

For better or worse, a realtor has no interest in talking to someone and going out on a limb for someone who does not intend to use their services. He could talk to a realtor who is also a property manager, but it is unfair to ask their advice if you have no intention of listing with them.

There is no such thing as a partial bedroom. It is or it isn't.

He could advertise as basement for rent, but he still has to meet the safety requirements if that is the primary living space for someone.

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Re: Two questions on rental house in Fairfax, VA
Posted by: Blowtorch999 ()
Date: March 09, 2013 09:36PM

Sounds like your getting ready to open an illegal boarding house. Im sure the neighbors will be thrilled. I hate renters!

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Re: Two questions on rental house in Fairfax, VA
Posted by: blanche ()
Date: March 10, 2013 09:09AM

As far as the hand railing, when I moved into my current house my insurance company was the one that wanted several modifications to the house. I had more than three stairs up to the porch and they wanted a railing installed. Not sure how many stairs you need to have before its required.

The insurance company also wanted some very obnoxious railings on the windows of the Florida Room -- the windows are sliding glass doors on every side of the room about 3 feet off the ground -- we were unwilling to do this and we asked them if we could just make the doors unable to open but they said no. So we changed insurance companies to one that was more reasonable.

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Re: Two questions on rental house in Fairfax, VA
Posted by: Ffx Co regs ()
Date: March 10, 2013 09:14AM

I thought I saw an article recently about FFX Co tightening up renting basements as apartments? Permit time!

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Re: Two questions on rental house in Fairfax, VA
Posted by: Renting ()
Date: March 10, 2013 09:25AM

If anyone from the county comes out snooping just act like you don't understand english. If you need to evict anyone skip the courts and hire a few bikers from culpeper to remove the tenants its quicker and cheaper.Rememeber this too the tenants who seem to be the nicest when u first meet them will trash your place and not pay the rent.

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Re: Two questions on rental house in Fairfax, VA
Posted by: liberallibby ()
Date: March 10, 2013 09:26AM

Ffx Co regs Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I thought I saw an article recently about FFX Co
> tightening up renting basements as apartments?
> Permit time!


I really hope this happens. I would even pretend to want to rent one just so I could report them.

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Re: Two questions on rental house in Fairfax, VA
Posted by: ...in the 22039 ()
Date: March 11, 2013 12:35AM

Thanks for most of the input and insight in the responses

For those who think I am skirting a law or opening a boarding house, I am not.

This is a single family home, which has 4 bedrooms upstairs, plus the basement is three LARGE rooms, but off the main room, there are two smaller rooms (probably 14x26, each) which I would like to call a bedroom, but will not be able to call one of the two a bedroom apparently, due to the 18" x 30" basement window.

The other room has 4 standard windows, so that isn't a problem. I guess the house can "legally" be called a 5 BR home.

Again, thanks for the input.

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