Questions about buying a Grade II listed flat...

[StrawberryMargarita]

I have seen a property I'm interested in buying, it's a really small flat that is currently being used as a store room but would have enough space to be converted into a studio flat. The building it's in is Grade II listed. I have no idea about buying flats, or listed buildings or where to even really start!

There is a water supply to the flat but there is no bathroom currently. Would we need planning permission to put one in? Also, because it's used as a store room currently, would I be able to make it a flat and live in it? It's referred to as a flat in all the documentation.

I spoke to the EA but they weren't very helpful and I'm very distrustful of them anyway so want to just go in with a confident offer, so I'm trying to find out as much as I can myself beforehand, so any advice you might have would be greatly appreciated.

If you have no experience of buying or renovating flats, let alone listed properties, I’d avoid this one. It may not have planning permission for conversion into a dwelling; it may be difficult to get; you may struggle to get listed building consent for what you want to do. This one sounds like it’s best left to a professional investor / developer.

Thread very carefully. If the space is current designated as storage, there is no guarantee that you could convert to a flat.
Your starting point should be to request a copy of the lease. This will stipulate any restrictions/covenants on the property.
The Grade 2 designation may also be a big impediment to change of use.
If the space could easily be converted to residential, you’d imagine the current owner would have already done that.

Speak to the local listed building planning folks working for your district council.

Listed properties are quite complicated, be very careful. It's very difficult to get planning permission to make changes. Read carefully all and I mean EVERY SINGLE ONE of the restrictive covenants that the property will have. Any changes that affect the exterior will be nearly impossible as changing windows for double glazing ones for example. These properties are very expensive to maintain as you are restricted on the materials and ways of doing anything to them.
On top of that, a flat might be even more complicated for all the people involved.
It could be amazing, but go in with your eyes wide opened!
Good luck!

I have a copy of the lease and it doesn't say anything about the use, it just refers to it throughout as a flat and not as a storeroom. I work in the construction industry and have renovated a few properties before but they've just been normal houses.

There are a lot of restrictions related to the exterior and it requires some work in regards to the new fire regs that have come in, which is why it’s being sold I think. But I’m not too worried about them, it’s just if I need planning that could potentially be turned down to add a bathroom, although as I said the supplies are already in.

@bluntness100 thank you, I’ll do that. I didn’t realise they were a thing, the property is in a town I’d like to move to and not the one I currently live, so I’ll contact them. We don’t have much in the way of interesting or old houses here!

Do you need a mortgage? Most lenders won't lend against a property with no bathroom (or kitchen but you didn't mention that) so you'd need a broker to help you find some one to lend if needed.

It doesn't matter what the documents call it, it's not a habitable space, and not mortgagable, unless it has a usable bathroom and kitchen. It would have to be very cheap too, as they can only sell it as what it currently is: a storage room.

@bluntness100 thank you, I’ll do that. I didn’t realise they were a thing, the property is in a town I’d like to move to and not the one I currently live, so I’ll contact them. We don’t have much in the way of interesting or old houses here!

Just give them a call in the morning, will be part of the district council. They will give you advice that’s accurate. Good luck.

Does she have experience of catching trains on her own? To be honest, I think 15 is a little bit young. I didn't start doing things like this until I was in college and had more experience of using public transport etc