[Misc] Anyone own a Grade II Listed building?

Stat Brother · Dec 14, 2021

I find it hard to believe a rudimentary search on Google involving the title and NSC didn't take me straight to multiple threads on the subject.
It must be pique, look at me, fodder for the NSC peacocks. :lol:

All the cons please, any pro's would be nice, but t'internet suggests there aren't many.

dazzer6666 · Dec 14, 2021

Stat Brother said:
I find it hard to believe a rudimentary search on Google involving the title and NSC didn't take me straight to multiple threads on the subject.
It must be pique, look at me, fodder for the NSC peacocks.

All the cons please, any pro's would be nice, but t'internet suggests there aren't many.

Pal of mine bought one quite recently, says has been a bit of a nightmare, particularly getting the permissions to get work done (not all of it anything you'd consider radical - things like stopping an old wall falling down and changing the heating system or example) then paying way over the odds for the 'specialist' work (not been helped by the current lack of materials and people to do any work either to be fair) and some quite significant restrictions on what can be done (it's also within the South Downs NP that makes things even more complicated)

faoileán · Dec 14, 2021

My advice is that you should only own a listed building if you understand what you have, cherish it and respect it. If you don't you will find the laws restricting what you can do to it frustrating. But they are there for very good reasons as the great British public have a track record of wrecking our built heritage in the interests of fashion.

Swansman · Dec 14, 2021

Not going to lie... I dont own any Grade II buildings.

Stat Brother · Dec 14, 2021

dazzer6666 said:
Pal of mine bought one quite recently, says has been a bit of a nightmare, particularly getting the permissions to get work done (not all of it anything you'd consider radical - things like stopping an old wall falling down and changing the heating system or example) then paying way over the odds for the 'specialist' work (not been helped by the current lack of materials and people to do any work either to be fair) and some quite significant restrictions on what can be done (it's also within the South Downs NP that makes things even more complicated)

Hence asking for good news as that's what t'internet tells me.

My gut reaction is only the front of the house is listed, the 'garden' view of the back is incredibly nondescript.

beorhthelm · Dec 14, 2021

Grade II building owns you.

Glawstergull · Dec 14, 2021

Luckily the Listing on my house wasn’t granted until it had been updated and altered/added to.
It is best to speak to the local planning and get an idea on their overall strategy and how they see it applies to the building in question.
It is often down to the interpretation by the officer and if they have common sense or are power hungry.
The one local to me tells you what you can’t do but makes you guess what you can.

Charlies Shinpad · Dec 14, 2021

All the buildings around me are listed but luckily the Barn I live in was missed by British Heritage.
Although if I want to build at all I have a duty to inform the council as I'm in the curtlidge of other Listed Buildings

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B-right-on · Dec 14, 2021

dazzer6666 said:
Pal of mine bought one quite recently, says has been a bit of a nightmare, particularly getting the permissions to get work done (not all of it anything you'd consider radical - things like stopping an old wall falling down and changing the heating system or example) then paying way over the odds for the 'specialist' work (not been helped by the current lack of materials and people to do any work either to be fair) and some quite significant restrictions on what can be done (it's also within the South Downs NP that makes things even more complicated)

A mate of mine bought one last year. The place was a wreck, thatched stone cottage (which leaked like mad) ugly ugly 60s porch at the front and extn at the back. Ugly 70/80s tiled dormer (in the thatch??).

The LPA 'loved' the plans to get it all updated, rethatched, extn knocked down etc... But still took over 10 months for them to approve it. He's in the building game so knew what he took on so not affected him as no one lives there atm.

So imo, it's great to own a piece of our heritage and conserve it for future generations, but if you want to change / extend / modernise one, don't bother as you will run into a brick wall.

Stat Brother · Dec 14, 2021

Hopefully it's all a moot point and Plan A will come together.

Sadly at the moment 'A' isn't playing ball causing me back to Zoopla, et al, where I had a 'well hello, who are you?' moment.

jackanada · Dec 14, 2021

If you're buying a listed building (hopefully just grade II not II* or I) the first questions are:

1. Do I like the exterior?
2. Is energy efficiency very important to me?
3. Am I happy with the general layout?

Any no's you should probably walk away.
Re point 3 even if you are allowed to move a bathroom/kitchen you can't run any new pipes on the outside of the house and because it's a new bathroom/kitchen you have to put in ventilation and obviously sticking a core drill through the wall isn't going to be smiled upon.

Gabbafella · Dec 14, 2021

The block of flats I live in is shit. Does that count as grade II or just a big, fat, steaming number 2?

Deleted member 2719 · Dec 14, 2021

Not sure you actually ever own them......finacially you will but deep down its just like having a leasehold......but worse.

If you are loaded......go for it.

Glawstergull · Dec 14, 2021

Mouldy Boots said:
Not sure you actually ever own them......finacially you will but deep down its just like having a leasehold......but worse.

If you are loaded......go for it.

Rubbish. Finacially or otherwise.

B-right-on · Dec 14, 2021

Stat Brother said:
Hopefully it's all a moot point and Plan A will come together.

Sadly at the moment 'A' isn't playing ball causing me back to Zoopla, et al, where I had a 'well hello, who are you?' moment.

I've worked on some really stunning Gr ll listed buildings over the years. If you like it and it doesn't need any major works, then why not look at it.

Elbow750 · Dec 14, 2021

Stat Brother said:
Hence asking for good news as that's what t'internet tells me.

My gut reaction is only the front of the house is listed, the 'garden' view of the back is incredibly nondescript.[/QUOTE)

Be very careful. Pal of mine owns a grade 2 listed building and everything in the parts of it that are listed (whole property in his case) is listed. He asked, and was allowed to uncover a boarded up fireplace, but it had a horrible concrete lintel where an old oak beam should have been (by comparing to other fireplaces). Local council said he couldn't change it as it was part of the building listing. They wouldn't budge. Full stop.

It's a nightmare. He needs permissions to change broken light switches and fittings, even if electrically unsafe, plug sockets the lot.

Its a lovely house mind, but what a palaver.

Seasider78 · Dec 14, 2021

Stat Brother said:
I find it hard to believe a rudimentary search on Google involving the title and NSC didn't take me straight to multiple threads on the subject.
It must be pique, look at me, fodder for the NSC peacocks.

All the cons please, any pro's would be nice, but t'internet suggests there aren't many.

My cottage is grade 2 listed and when we purchased it everyone was saying avoid plus all the usual scare stories on the internet. I have not found it anywhere near as bad and we had a lot of improvements required as well. Before we purchased we got in contact with the local conservation officer who will be able to help advise the sort of work you can do with and without permission. There is a lead time to approval but with careful planning and sensitive adjustments you should not have too many issues as the rules are just to ensure you respect and protect the history of the building.

The pros are you own and are a custodian of a piece of history and not sure where you are looking at but the character and charm of our home could not be replicated elsewhere in newer builds and so never regretted the decision.

knocky1 · Dec 14, 2021

I had a Grade II double fronted Georgian house in London. Best house I’ve ever had. Far superior to my previous house in Osborne Villas, Hove. The Grade II cost £60,000 in 1996 but luckily sold at £260,000 in 2003 before it sucked me dry! It’s now worth a million and building up the rear would value it at £1.5 million.

Would love it in my current location.
One of my biggest bug bears about Jeremy Corbyn was his upvc front door on his flat in the Islington Conservation area.

Stat Brother · Dec 14, 2021

Seasider78 said:
My cottage is grade 2 listed and when we purchased it everyone was saying avoid plus all the usual scare stories on the internet. I have not found it anywhere near as bad and we had a lot of improvements required as well. Before we purchased we got in contact with the local conservation officer who will be able to help advise the sort of work you can do with and without permission. There is a lead time to approval but with careful planning and sensitive adjustments you should not have too many issues as the rules are just to ensure you respect and protect the history of the building.

The pros are you own and are a custodian of a piece of history and not sure where you are looking at but the character and charm of our home could not be replicated elsewhere in newer builds and so never regretted the decision.

Thanks all.

I'll give the agent a ring about it.
I'm getting a different vibe from all of you, than I get from the house photos.

Inside it looks all very modern (enough).
As said outside from the back it looks a bit shite (not rundown old shite, just shite)

It does back onto a church.
The front of the house is flint and brick edged (tiled roof)
Which is what leads me to think it might just be the front which is listed.

It does look like there's a 'galley' extension.
But obviously any issue with that would jump out on the searches.

The price almost suggests there's a catch but not quite.

T'is a bit of an oddity.

Edit - that's assuming they do put listings on just the front?
I think I picked that nugget from an art deco garage, in my half of Sussex, some of you may know about.

Seasider78 · Dec 14, 2021

Stat Brother said:
Thanks all.

I'll give the agent a ring about it.
I'm getting a different vibe from all of you, than I get from the house photos.

Inside it looks all very modern (enough).
As said outside from the back it looks a bit shite (not rundown old shite, just shite)

It does back onto a church.
The front of the house is flint and brick edged (tiled roof)
Which is what leads me to think it might just be the front which is listed.

It does look like there's a 'galley' extension.
But obviously any issue with that would jump out on the searches.

The price almost suggests there's a catch but not quite.

T'is a bit of an oddity.

As you have seen on here a lot are put off when a house is listed which does impact the price and also something worth considering if selling on. My advice do your background checks so you know what you are taking on and can do what you want, make sure you love the property and not the idea and you will then be in a better position to be sure it’s for you or not.

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[Misc] Anyone own a Grade II Listed building?

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