It's not a listed building- how do I prove it?

[carabos]

We moved 6 months ago to a property which is part of a converted former school. Before offering on this house we got very close to offering on another but withdrew because it needed work that we were unable to get permission for because it is listed. There was an awful lot of palaver to get to that stage so we made the decision that we wouldn't view any more listed properties.

When we found our now home, one of the first questions we raised with the agent and the lawyers was whether it is listed- all confirmed not. Happy days, move in.

Since then we have been told by most of the neighbours, repeatedly, that the building is listed. I always breezily respond that it isn't, but they won't have it. Thing is, they keep saying that as a community we can't do this or that that needs doing or would improve the environment because it's listed. IT ISN'T LISTED ffs!

How do I prove it? Do I need to get whatever official confirmation that our solicitor got at the time of purchase? It's bonkers, if you came here and looked around it would be obvious it isn't listed anyway. It is of no architectural merit or historical interest.

Why do you need to prove it? And to who...the neighbours?

My home is grade 2 listed. If I google my address I can see the listing. It describes my home and when it was listed.

Grade 2 listing is not particularly restricting, so I don't know what you're talking about. Yes you can't change the structure. Yes you cannot remove original features. Yes you cannot change the fundamental character, and yes that includes things like the colour you paint your front door, but that's about it. Why buy it and want to change these things though anyway? . Very very few listed properties list also the grounds and detail them so you can't change, however yes it needs to be in keeping. But again why would you wish to do something that wasn't. You cannot build in the grounds unless it's in keeping. Fair enough in my view.

Sorry op but sounds like a bunch of people who don't know what they are talking about and I don't see what you have to prove to them. If it's listed it's a matter of public record and easily googleable.

Go on the Historic England website- I think that's what the pp is referring to.

If you feel you need to prove it historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/ put your post code in and print off the map or list.

Thank you LilyLongtree I've done that. I will hand out the map at the residents' meeting. There are lots of listed buildings in the village, but this isn't one of them.

Are they confused about local listing? My house is locally listed but it has no restrictions as it isn't Listed.

I don't know Shirley. We were discussing purchasing the freehold at the meeting and a couple of them said they thought we wouldn't be able to do that as it's a listed building- not sure why they think that would make a difference tbh. They also use it as a reason not to do this that and the other around the place. They're lovely people and polite but very firm about this point . It's becoming a bit wearing tbh.

I would just not attend resident meetings and do what i want to the property if they have a problem with it it will be on them to prove that it is listed. But then again im an antisocial bugger.

Are you in a conservation area? Perhaps that's where the confusion stems from

The National Heritage List has a searchable map and provides the most up to date information. Historic England are the body responsible for designation so if it's not on there it ain't listed.

A building can be curtilage listed if it's ancillary to a building named on the NHL, e.g. the stable block associated with a country house can be protected even though not identified in the listing entry or identified as listed on the map. In the case of a school, however this would seem unlikely as the school would probably be the principal building.

Information on local listing is normally available on local council websites though coverage is variable. It doesn't have any legal backing (unlike listing where unauthorised works can be a criminal offence) but are often supported in local planning policy. Your local conservation officer or planning dept should be able to tell you if a local list exists.

are you in a conservation area at all? Could be a source of confusion.

Good luck!

It's certainly possible for leaseholders to get together and purchase the freehold of a listed building.

I'm kind of taking that approach Ineedamore but from the other direction- I'm intending to take control .

As Haint says, they may be confusing being listed with being in a conservation area, some people think it's the same thing. My previous neighbours insisted we were all listed (terrace of cottages), and even though I had written proof we weren't, they still refused to believe it!