Buying a listed property

A listed property is one that has been selected for legal protection because of its historical, cultural or architectural importance. Often older properties with many character features, listed properties can be highly desirable.

If you’re considering buying a listed property, this helpful guide will tell you everything you need to consider before doing so.

What is a listed property?

A property may become listed if it is deemed to be culturally, historically or architecturally significant. A listed property will be protected from demolition or any changes that are deemed inappropriate.

Are there different types of listed buildings?

There are three different types of listed buildings: Grade 1 listed, Grade 2* listed, and Grade 2 listed. Historic England will determine which level of protection a property receives.

What does Grade 1 listed mean?

A Grade 1 listing is the highest level of protection a property can be given. To achieve the listing, properties must be considered to be of ‘exceptional interest’. Only around 2.5% of listed properties receive a Grade 1 listing.

Famous examples of Grade 1 listed properties include:

• Buckingham Palace
• Houses of Parliament
• Tower Bridge, London

What does Grade 2* listed mean?

A Grade 2* is the next level of listing. Grade 2* listed properties are of ‘more than special interest’, with only around 5.8% of listed properties receiving this level of protection.

Examples of Grade 2* listed properties include:

• Battersea Power Station
• Senate House and Institute of Education (University of London)
• Brighton Station

What does Grade 2 listed mean?

Grade 2 is the most common level of property listing, with around 91.7% of listed properties receiving a Grade 2 listing. Highlighted as being of ‘special interest’, most residential properties with listed status are likely to be Grade 2 listed.

Famous examples of Grade 2 listed properties include:

• Abbey Road Studios
• Kew Gardens Station
• Alexandra Palace

How does a property become listed?

A property can be put forward for listing by its owner, a public body such as Historic England, the local authority planning or conservation officer, a conservation group or a member of the public.

A property will be listed either due to ‘special historic interest’ or ‘special architectural interest’. Special historic interest will refer to who has used the building, how the building has been used, or what has happened there. Special architectural interest will refer to the design and construction of the building. It might be that the property was designed by a well-known architect. Alternatively, it might be that the property is a particularly good example of a building from a particular period. In more modern buildings, the property is likely to be very distinctive architecturally.

How do I find out if a property is listed?

If you’re considering buying an older property, the information provided by the estate agent should tell you if the property is listed.

If you’re interested in a property that isn’t yet on the market, you can use the listed property search function on the Historic England website.

What are the implications of buying a listed property?

If your property is listed, it means there will be some restrictions on what can be done in terms of home improvements. This is to ensure the work done is sympathetic to the property and the property doesn’t lose its historical or architectural significance.

There are currently over 370,000 listed properties in England, so it’s not unusual for older properties to be listed. Being listed doesn’t mean you can’t make any changes to the property, it just means that the appropriate consent must be obtained before you do any significant work.

Listed building consent can be obtained from your local authority. This is something you can do yourself, usually in partnership with the local planning or conservation officer. Alternatively, you can hire a specialist consultant or surveyor who specialises in historic buildings, who would be able to guide you through the process. This is probably more appropriate if you’re wanting to carry out significant work to the property.

What happens if I make changes to a listed property without listed building consent?

Making changes to a listed property without the necessary consent is a criminal offence. If you are found to have completed work without permission, you may receive an enforcement notice requiring you to undo the changes that have been made. Continually disregarding the need to obtain consent can result in fines of up to £20,000 and in extreme cases even a 6-month prison sentence.

When you buy a listed property, it is important to ensure that any work carried out since the listing has been done with listed building consent. Without consent, you may have difficulty re-selling the property. Previously unauthorised changes can also make it more difficult to get listed property consent in the future.

Grade 1 listed building restrictions

As the highest level of protection, Grade 1 properties will have the strictest restrictions. It is likely that any improvements or repairs will require listed building consent.

Grade 2* listed building restrictions

In a Grade 2* property, restrictions are a little less severe, but you should ensure you consult your local planning authority or conservation officer to obtain any necessary permission before carrying out any improvement work, internally or externally. Some key areas where listed building consent might be required in a Grade 2* listed building include:

• Being sympathetic to the building’s history – special consideration must be given to the use of appropriate materials and techniques.
• Protecting the historic fabric of the building – historic materials should be conserved where possible.
• Retention of areas of historic significance – any areas of historic significance in the property, eg. inglenook fireplaces, stone flooring etc, should be protected and retained where possible.
• Any changes to the layout, including new additions, will require listed building consent and may also require planning permission.

Your local planning authority or conservation officer will be able to provide more information.

Grade 2 listed building restrictions

There are likely to be fewer Grade 2 listed restrictions, but the choice of materials and appropriate techniques is still important.

Areas that might require listed building consent in a Grade 2 listed property include:

Replacement doors and windows – it is likely that you will be required to replace ‘like for like’ eg. wooden windows rather than modern UPVC.

Roof repairs – any roof repairs or replacement will likely need to be carried out using the same materials.

Any changes to the property exterior – any changes to the property exterior eg. repointing or repainting are likely to require listed planning consent.

Can you extend a Grade 2 listed building?

Whether you’re able to extend a Grade 2 listed building or not will depend on the plans you submit. Many Grade 2 listed properties have been sympathetically extended with no problem, but you’ll need to speak to your local planning authority or conservation officer to get an idea of what type of extension might be acceptable.

Is it more expensive to insure a listed property?

Listed property insurance can be more expensive than insurance for modern homes. This is because the property may be more expensive to repair or rebuild.

There are insurers and brokers who specialise in listed properties, which will help to make your insurance premiums as competitive as possible.

Questions to ask when buying a listed property

Whilst buying a listed property is often a heart-led decision, there are some important questions to ask that will help you go into your new home with your eyes open.

How much does home insurance cost each year?

If you’re not experienced in owning an older property, you might be unsure how much it’s likely to cost to insure. Asking the current owner about home insurance costs will give you a broad indication of how much you might expect to pay.

What are the current annual running costs?

Older properties can sometimes cost more to heat and run, depending on how well insulated etc they are. Asking the current owner’s estimated annual running costs will help you decide whether the property is affordable for you.

Why is the property listed?

You can search for the property on the Historic England website and read the full property listing history. This will give you in-depth information about the property and why it is protected.

Has any work by the current owners been carried out with listed building consent and planning permission (if required)?

This will make you aware, early on, if there are any potential issues with listed building consent. It will also give you an indication of how seriously the current owners have taken their responsibility as guardians of a listed property. This will tell you a lot about how well (or not) the property has been looked after.

Are the current owners aware of any historic unauthorised work?

This is something that will usually be discovered by your mortgage lender (if you’re taking out a mortgage to buy the property), but it’s always wise to ask this question early on before you start spending money on surveys and legal fees. If there has been any work carried out without listed building consent, you have a number of different options:

1. Ask the current owner to seek retrospective listed building consent
2. Negotiate a reduced purchase price to cover the cost of getting the work rectified after the purchase completes
3. Ask the current owner to purchase an indemnity policy to protect you from any financial or legal repercussions

Your solicitor will be able to advise on appropriate actions in this scenario.

How much do the current owners budget for property maintenance each year?

This will give you an idea of both the ongoing costs of owning the property and how well maintained the property is. It is recommended that homeowners should allow around 1-2% of the property’s value for maintenance each year.

It’s also a good idea to get your property survey carried out by a heritage company that specialises in working with old buildings. Issues like damp will need to be addressed in a different way in an older, listed property. Use of appropriate materials will be key, so knowledge of this is imperative in understanding any maintenance or improvement work that may be required.

FAQs:

What’s the difference between Grade 1 and Grade 2 listed?

The difference between Grade 1 listed and Grade 2 listed is the amount of legal protection given to the property. Grade 1 listed properties will have more restrictions placed on them to protect their historic and/or architectural significance.

Grade 2 listed properties are much more common and will have fewer restrictions.

Should I buy a listed property?

It’s not unusual for older properties to be Grade 2 listed. Whilst there are implications to owning an older home, listed properties often offer their owners beautiful character features and wonderful historic homes.

Whether or not a listed property is right for you will depend on your personal circumstances and what you’re looking for in a home.

Are listed properties exempt from EPC?

Yes, listed properties are exempt from requiring an Energy Performance Certificate. Properties of historic importance are not expected to comply with modern efficiency guidelines.

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