• Submitted by: manso
• Business and Economy
• 11 / 29 / 2010

---

Renting rooms and homes has been made easier by new legislation that broadens the concept of self-employment, Granma reported Monday.

Resolution 305 of the Housing Institute provides the following guidelines:

• Living spaces may be rented for various activities, not just dwelling. "For example, the entrance hallway can be turned into a coffee shop, while a room can be used to set up a barber shop, a photo studio, a seamstress shop, etc."
• Foreigners who live in Cuba permanently may rent a room or house in Cuban pesos (nonconvertible).
• The ban on renting rooms by the hour has been lifted.
• The homeowner may hire help. "The lessor may solicit the services of those who hold a license to perform work on their own (gardener, domestic helper, etc.) or hire them to work with him." Hiring help is taxable.
• Cubans who live abroad or travel abroad for long periods of time may rent their homes to others.
• Homeowners who rent property in convertible pesos will be taxed in convertible pesos but may pay in Cuban pesos, according to the existing exchange rate.

Source: //miamiherald.typepad.com/cuban_colada/