6 expert tips for remodeling a room into a hostel or mini-hotel

Until now, the boom that began during the World Cup in the opening of mini-hotels and hostels on the first floors of apartment buildings has not subsided.

From October 1, an amendment to Article 17 of the Housing Code of the Russian Federation comes into force, according to which, in order to open a hotel or hostel, the premises must have the status of non-residential. In this regard, entrepreneurs still have questions about what requirements are imposed on hostels, what rules have been introduced for opening hostels in 2019, and what documents are required. We talk about this with the CEO of the company. Leonid Zharov.

  •  You can change the purpose of the premises for a hostel or mini-hotel only if it is located on the ground floor and has a separate entrance from the street. If the room in which the hostel is supposed to be is located above the first floor, then the rest of the premises under it must also be non-residential. If these conditions are not met, permission to open a hostel and a mini-hotel cannot be obtained.

  •  To open a hostel or mini-hotel, it is necessary to ensure the safe accommodation of residents and guests – to comply with the requirements of the sanitary service and the fire inspection, as well as to coordinate the planned restructuring of the premises with the supervisory authorities. The room will also need to be soundproofed, fire alarms and cabinets for storing clean and dirty linen, as well as inventory, will be installed.

  •  Any reorganization of the premises must be coordinated with the relevant authorities, and this is the basic component of this business. First you need to get permission, and only then start working. Permanent residents show increased attention to their new neighbors and often write complaints to various organizations, as a result of which an inspection begins, and the lack of documents will entail undesirable consequences for the entrepreneur.

  •  Not legalized or not timely legalized redevelopment is the basis for large fines. Also, the owner or tenant will be offered to legitimize the changes made or return the premises to their original appearance.

  •  Refusal to assign the status of a hotel to a non-residential premises may occur if the actual redevelopment differs from that stated in the plan, if the premises do not meet the requirements of the fire department, if ventilation and communications are inoperative.

  •  First of all, you need to go to the BTI to obtain technical documentation for the facility. After that, you can order a redevelopment project, coordinate it with all the necessary authorities and submit a complete set of documents to the city Housing Inspectorate of the city for consideration.

  •  Next, a commission should be called, which will determine the correctness of the repair performed according to the agreed project, and issue a certificate of conformity in the absence of violations. After that, you should re-apply to the BTI to take into account the completed redevelopment, pay the state duty and receive new technical documentation for the facility.