A guide to owning listed property
The stress of buying can increase when owning a piece of Britain’s history. There is advice offered by The Listed Property Owners Club (LPOC) to buyers interested in listed homes.
The process of buying a home can be stressful and daunting most of the time. What if you are looking to own a piece of Britain’s history? The cost of owning a listed home is about half a million. This is a building that is considered to be of national importance in terms of historic or architectural interest. Whether a city townhouse, a chocolate box cottage, or a sprawling country estate, it can be very rewarding and satisfying to own a smart part of our heritage. Just stop for a moment and think about the period features.
If you feel daunted by the idea of a listed home, advice is only a call away because members of the Listed Property Owners Club can help you out. They have a team of experts who are ready to provide you with all the information you need about the ownership. If you have any questions, call and have them answered. They have an in-house Conservation Officer who is going to answer the questions and provide important information you need before and during the process of buying a listed property.
How Can I Know If the Home I am Interested in is Listed?
The vendor or estate agent is going to provide you with accurate information if you are in doubt about the listing of the home. If you have your doubts, check with the Listed Property Owners Club. Another option is checking with Historic England.
The house I am interested in is listed. But what do the three Grades (Grade I, II*, and II) mean?
Grade I and Grade II* are higher grades and they make up about 7% of all the buildings listed. Most of the buildings are Grade II. What is the main difference between these grades? You have to get consent before making alterations to the buildings, and the grade is going to determine what can be done. Greater weight is given to preserve the historic and architectural significance of the higher grades. Keep in mind that any building is listed with the aim of preserving the character, whatever its grade is.
Is the Outside of the Listed Building the Only Part Protected?
No. When a building is listed, every part of it is protected, outside and inside. The protection is for the building, anything attached to it, and any buildings within the cartilage of the protected building (this is for those buildings built before 1948).
What are the Restrictions on Alterations to Listed Buildings?
Before any alterations are made, you have to get consent from the local planning authority, if the alteration is going to affect the character of the building. The control doesn’t include replacing the kitchen units or the bathroom suits or changing indoor or outdoor furniture, but you will have to get consent before making other alterations. If you are not sure, then it might be a good idea to talk to your local planning authority or Listed Property Owners Club.
What if there are Alterations Made by the Previous Owners Who did not Get Listed Building Consent?
You should know that there is no time limit to when the local planning authority can ask for the alterations to be reversed. The new owner can be forced to remedy alterations made by the previous owner. If you suspect that there might have been alterations made without consent, then you need to be very cautious and make sure that the insurance policy provides adequate protection. You can find insurance policies from LPOC.
What Should I Keep in Mind When Insuring a Listed Home?
The most important thing is the small print. When you get an insurance quote, make sure you have gone through the policy and see what is going to be covered because a common mistake many people make is to get underinsured – getting a policy from a comparison site is not going to be sufficient. Ensure that the provider is going to cover the total rebuild cost of the conservation standards if something comes up. Visit Heritage Consulting to arrange a survey.
If it comes out that there were unauthorized changes made to your property by the previous owner, then few insurance companies are going to be ready to cover it. This is why you should have adequate cover in place when purchasing a listed property. If you want to seek insurance for the listed home, then it is a good idea to talk to a specialist like The LPOC because they can provide you with a correct and detailed quotation that is going to provide adequate listed property insurance whether you are renovating or buying a listed home.
