Buying a Listed Building?

Listed Properties - Do’s & Don’ts

A Listed building whilst offering a huge wealth of character and charm will cost a great deal more to maintain than a modern equivalent building so prudent financial planning for building maintenance is a must and before embarking on your search for your dream home, consider engaging a specialist surveyor as part of your pre-acquisition survey team.

I've been fortunate enough to have surveyed many Historic and Listed Buildings over the years and with this in mind, I've put together ten key points to consider when looking to buy a Listed Property;

DO – Ensure that when buying a listed building any alterations have the relevant listed building consent. It doesn’t matter who did the work or how long ago it was done, it is the current owner's responsibility - in some instances, property owners can face prosecution if unlawful works have been undertaken. Where alterations have been undertaken you should check whether a ‘Certificate of Lawfulness’ has been obtained

DO - Ensure the correct approvals have been obtained for works carried out which will be flagged by future legal searches

DO – Make contact with your local Conservation Officer at your earliest opportunity. They can be your greatest friend and ally. They will prove invaluable in terms of highlighting potential problems that you might encounter when proposing renovation or alteration works.

DO – Be sure to carefully consider any repairs required within the building. With a listed building English Heritage or the local Conservation Officer will insist any repairs or rebuild match the original in both style and methods used and the owner is responsible for financing this work, whatever the cost!

DO – Exercise care when commissioning specialist further investigation or buildings works as historic buildings will often require a more bespoke and sympathetic approach. Suitably skilled craftsman are a MUST experienced in working on listed buildings.

DON’T – Mix modern methods with traditional methods. If your home was built with traditional lime mortar, the use of cement in older buildings can do irreparable damage. Historic buildings are designed to breathe!

DON’T – Forget most products and materials were probably delivered to your home on a horse and cart and would invariably have been from a local source. If for example, you want to colour match mortar, look for a local sand supply and forget the builder’s merchants.

DON’T – Rush into making changes to your Listed Building. Spend time in the house, and decide what works and what doesn’t and then slowly undertake each task. The house has probably stood for several years and a few months consideration will be time well spent.

DO - Always use contractors who specialise in working on Listed Buildings and fully understand the construction processes involved – incorrect diagnosis can often lead to ineffective measure being implemented costing you more in the long run

DO - At the outset, consider the condition of the building with a detailed survey so that you financial liabilities are known prior to purchase

Drop us a line today to help you embark on your purchase of your perfect Listed Building dream home!

Ian Bullock BSc(Hons)Est.Man. MRICS

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