Considering a Grade II listed property - anyone else got one?

[LadyHalesBroach]

Found a house in a pretty village location, commutable to London.

The house is a chocolate box dream. Thatched roof, wonky bits, very low ceilings and door (ok for me and DP as we’re both only 5’4 but we only just clear it!).

The only thing I’m worried about is what practicality issues I’m not seeing by being blinded by the oodles of character. I’ve always wanted a house with charm but I never quite thought ‘Tudor cottage’.

Thanks in advance!

The listing does apply inside as well

Yes it does, but only for original features and the structure.

Fine to live in if you follow the rules, but slow to sell as lots of people are wary ( like you !)

I grew up in one, until adulthood. They're lovely, but I've made a conscious decision not to own one myself. Far too much red tape to make changes.

The thing is you shouldn’t buy one if you wish to make structural changes or rip out original features. If you just want to do normal stuff like decorate, replace kitchen bathroom etc there is no issue.

But if you wish to structurally change it, then think carefully, it can be done, and is done regularly, the previous owners added to mine, but it is more hassle as has to be done with permission (which is like any other property really unless it’s knocking down walls) but in keeping with the property. You can’t be adding a plastic lean to for example to a timber framed home.

The overwhelming majority of people though who buy houses do not wish to structurally change them, they just wish to do the normal cosmetic stuff.

I wouldn’t say they are slow to sell, the opposite actually, mine wasn’t, and none of the ones round here linger on the market.

Re the thatch. You don’t need a complete redo of the thatch unless it is really bad.

You can just get the ridge done. Still costs but not the same as a full thatch

Flamingo no, it's definitely not listed - we checked. Been here almost 20 years and it's in a conservation area with (ironically) a lot of very old properties which are listed, some at Grade 1, so we were extremely careful to make sure before we did any repairs and renovation.

"doors cannot be changed"
Internal ones can we're taking off those horrible flat ones and putting in mid priced panelled ones no permission required I checked.
"we have to use a specialist builder"
My husband specialises in grade 1 listed buildings castles palaces stately homes etc he's not a builder but unsurprisingly he works with loads of builders and plumbers electricians stone masons specialist plasterers etc etc who work on these buildings, we do not use them we use local builders, who work locally on houses of all ages listed and unlisted.

My family are very sad I've just sold my huge and beautiful Grade II listed building for a song, I ended up going to auction.

In the twenty years we owned it (my husband died four years ago) we spent every penny we had on it, but when my husband died my financial situation reduced considerably, I just couldn't keep up with the maintenance. I went on the market and eighteen months and many, many viewings later, with full structural surveys throwing up 17 out of 23 'red' traffic lights and buyers behaving despicably, I decided to call it a day.

I'd run, very fast, and spend your money on things that provide you with marvellous memories.

That's very sad Salome. I'm sorry for your loss

The house looks lovely OP but I think the owner either doesn't use his woodburner or has forgotten to put a zero on the end of that treated logs amount! We use approx £350 a year (3 cubic metres) of logs in our woodburner. Our house is G2 listed and 300 years old (early Georgian) so quite modern compared to some others

It doesn't have a thatched roof and I don't think I'd buy a house with a thatched roof to be honest. Insuring G2 period properties is a niche market and even fewer of these insure thatch - or only at very high premiums. We pay about £450 a year for £1million buildings cover. We pay about £150 pm in gas and electric (plus the £350 for logs).

As others have said it is the whole building, in fact the whole curtilage, which is listed - you can't even put up a shed in your garden without listed building consent from the council.

For me though the things I notice about "your" house are the low ceilings on the top floor. We have attic rooms like this but we don't use them as bedrooms because it's impossible to get decent clothes storage in. The second thing is that you will have to walk your meals through the sitting room to get to the dining room at the back. I'm not sure I could cope with this day in day out!

The biggest thing for me would be the property boundary and whether this is via right of way or what. I would download the title register and plans for both "your" house and the house opposite and understanding exactly who owns what and what rights of way, easements and covenants apply. You can download them from their website - they cost £6 each I think Land Registry

I hope the second viewing goes well.

Just a quick update...

We viewed again and we’re in still in love. BUT thanks to all of the really useful advice on here, we went in with our heads not our hearts. It is still gorgeous, and brilliantly located.

But as first time buyers, we can’t get our head around the ‘tax’ that we’re essentially paying to keep the house in good order. Not invest, just maintain. Ie. Windows (last replaced 17 years ago) and thatch (likewise). I get the impression the seller is struggling to shift the house and they want to do it quickly, though they aren’t in a chain. I can imagine we’d have the same issue when we come to move too, though we’d be in there a long time.

So we’re walking away. I really hope another buyer, someone further on in their lives with more time and money to dedicate to it comes along and buys it.

That's a shame, OP, but it sounds like a sensible decision, to be honest. We also walked away from properties we still think about. But as a FTB you could find yourselves saddled with a lovely but worrisome money-pit.

Best of luck with your search. You'll find something you love just as much, if not more.

@ShadowsInTheDarkness. A suggestion for your windows, is to put locks on retrofitted. Try a DIY shop. Your house sounds lovely.

I was just about to buy one that was my dream home but found out the day before exchange by sleuthing that the owner had done a ton of work without conulting listed building planning.
I would have been responisble for thousands of pounds worth of work to put things back as they were.
Be very very careful.