Wereldreizigers.nl
Home » World trip » 06 | Preparation » Rent out your house when you go on a motorhome trip around the world? † 5 tips!

Rent out your house when you go on a motorhome trip around the world? † 5 tips!

You are planning to travel for a longer period of time, or even a world trip to make. If you are going to travel the world in, for example, your own house on wheels, in many cases you will have to deal with renting out your house. That is, if you do not want to continue to pay all costs yourself when you are gone. How do you maximize the income from renting out your house, what exactly are the rules and how can you best approach this? That and more in this article.

1. Rent out your home = permission required

If you plan to rent out your home when you go on a (world) trip, in most cases you need permission. It doesn't even matter whether you own a house for sale or a rental house, you will need permission for both, unless your home is completely mortgage-free. Only then do you no longer have to deal with a third party that partly or wholly owns your home.

Rental home

If you want to rent out your home temporarily because of your trip around the world, you must ask your landlord for permission. This is what they call home custody† It is deliberately not called subletting because you remain responsible for the property at all times and continue to pay the rent. Usually there are specific rules and a maximum term, for example 12 months. Each landlord has their own rules for this, so you will have to check with your landlord.

Rent out your home when you go on a world trip | To do or not to do?
Rent out your home when you go on a world trip | To do or not to do?

Home for sale

As long as you pay the mortgage, the house does not actually belong to you, but to the bank. That is why you must ask permission from your mortgage lender. Most mortgage contracts state that subletting is not allowed, but often a lot is possible in consultation. A trip around the world is something they don't want to get in the way either.

2. Including or excluding fixed costs?

If you temporarily rent out your home, it is often more convenient to do so including fixed costs, such as water and electricity. Otherwise you have to cancel all those contracts for a few months, which is quite a challenge for yourself, but also for your tenant. But, be careful! Of course, you also don't want to find a sky-high energy bill when you return. Therefore, make sure that you have an energy contract that is as cheap as possible and make specific agreements about this with the person(s) who rent your house. Especially with the current sky-high energy prices and the uncertainty of energy prices in the future, this is an essential part of the agreements that you have to make.

Also something to think about: it might be worth installing solar panels on your roof first.

3. Renovate your house and get the most out of it

This point is only interesting for people with an owner-occupied home: get the most out of it. Especially if you plan to go away for a long time, for example 1 year or even more. I know people who really know how to get the most out of their owner-occupied home during their long journeys. In fact, it has become their main source of income. They live off it! You can choose not to allow one, but several tenants into your house.

New sanitary facilities

Your house can potentially yield much more if you divide it into two apartments, or three or four student rooms, for example. You may still need to renovate. Each apartment or room may then have to be equipped with new sanitary facilities. An extra kitchen, a new bathroom. These are investments that you make in advance, but they may ensure that you can double your income.

New sanitary facilities are nice for yourself, but also for any tenants
New sanitary facilities are nice for yourself, but also for any tenants

Create studios with multiple bathrooms and kitchens

Try to find out for yourself which option is most profitable for you. Maybe you can convert your house into three studios, each with their own bathroom! If your house has an upper and attic floor, you can choose to give each its own kitchen and bathroom. This way you can create three studios and take three full tenants into your house, each with their own facilities and sanitary facilities. If you are still looking for inspiration for (re) building bathrooms and kitchens, please contact us here have a look.

Maximize your rental income | With multiple kitchens and bathrooms you can create multiple studios to rent out
Maximize your rental income | With multiple kitchens and bathrooms you can create multiple studios to rent out

4. The rental contract: fixed term

This is an important, if not essential, tip: always make sure that the rental contract for a certain period of time has been prepared. Even if you don't know how long you'll be leaving, always set an end date. A temporary rental contract must be entered into for a period of at least 6 months. Even if you stay for 12 months or you don't know how long you are going to travel, it is very difficult to get the tenant out with an 'indefinite' time. In any case, draw up the contract for the time when you are sure that you are traveling.

It would be very unfortunate if, for example, you get homesick, you want to go home earlier, but you can't. You can probably handle that for a few months until the rental contract has expired. However, if you have a tenant who refuses to leave because you have a permanent contract, it can get pretty annoying. You cannot then return to your own home.

Tip:: view on the website from the tax authorities for more information about renting out your house.

5. A shower and toilet in your motorhome

The last tip has nothing to do with renting out your house in The Netherlands, but anything with the little house on wheels you'll be living in for the next few months or years! I have seen many enthusiastic travelers over the years who #vanlife want to experience life. The mania around #vanlife aka it campervan life is absolutely everywhere. It graces the covers of glossy lifestyle magazines and fills our social media feeds, especially Instagram.

De Wereldreizigers.nl - In this we live the #vanlife life.
De Wereldreizigers.nl – In this we live the #vanlife life.

But is it really as fantastic as it is shown? People often start by buying a nice van, and go to this one convert yourself into a camper† But, because space and weight are always a thing with campers, people often choose not to build a toilet or shower cabin in their camper van. Stupid!

People often opt for a small porta-potty that they slide under the bed for a while, and think they can handle it. Hire experienced world travelers from usYou will really miss and even need a shower! And a porta-pottie toilet that is not in an enclosed space, you will definitely smell in hot weather. Because you live in a super-small space, you can also smell it when eating, sleeping, drinking coffee, you name it. You don't want that, do you?

Also read: Our 4×4 world trip camper (1) | Bathroom and interior

Our advice: provide decent sanitary facilities in your camper or camper van. Make sure you build in a shower cubicle with a decent toilet, or have one in it when you buy one. Your future self will be grateful! Because those who travel a lot will probably also come to places without water and without facilities. You are eternally grateful to yourself if you can still take a nice shower after a day in the desert.

After a day in a desert without facilities, we can still take a nice shower in our camper!
After a day in a desert without facilities, we can still take a nice shower in our camper!

Believe us, we know from experience!

Avatar picture

Wereldreizigers.nl (World Travelers dot NL)

Wereldreizigers.nl | Everything about long-distance travel, world travel, travel news, travel photography, backpacking, travel tips and more.

Seen a mistake? Ask? Remark? Let us know in the comments!

Would you like to receive great travel tips and extra benefits every month? And did you know that we give away a monthly world map to our subscribers? All you have to do is leave your email address below and you will have a chance to win every month!

logo-world travelers-grey-1
Translate »
4 Shares
4 Shares
Copy link