Grade 2 listed

[vinoandbrie]

We are looking at a couple of houses that are grade 2 listed. We would not want to redo them, so no major works.

I’m concerned though about getting broadband into the house if it hasn’t already got it. And with any other potential issues from buying a grade 2 listed place. I understand that buildings insurance will be higher and am getting some quotes. I’m looking at the spotlights in the ceilings and going ‘hmm, did they need planning permission for them?’

I’ve no hankering to buy a listed building, but I’m finding it really difficult to find any suitable houses on the market right now! We went SSTC on our home quickly and are now scrabbling about for somewhere to buy - I really thought we’d be sorted by now.

You probably won’t be able to double glaze if you want to

Broadband will be just like a telephone line so o doubt a problem. A satellite dish could be a problem

No problem with broadband. Satellite dishes are officially 'verboten', even in conservation areas, but that's a battle the council seems to have lost at least around here. For the extremely unlikely possibility that the council asks you to rectify any previous breaches of the listed status you could get indemnity insurance. Ask your solicitor about it. As long as you are not desperate for an extension or want to do a big internal remodelling, I wouldn't expect it to be too bad. Repairs are usually OK without paperwork on a like for like basis, but it's worth checking with your conservation officer before doing anything major. Changing the colour of front doors and facade would require listed building consent. Windows can be a pain. If they are still single glazed, installing removable secondary glazing would be the easiest and probably cheapest option (those plastic sheets that sticks with magnetic strips to the original window frame). If you genuinely prefer traditional materials like wood, slate and lime plaster and don't mind the maintenance, there shouldn't be any problems. If you have your heart set on easy to maintain PVC doors and like the smooth look of plasterboard and resin render, the rules will drive you mad.

It's only a problem if you want to do major work or alterations, which you don't. The buildings insurance can be higher, depending on the type of roof etc.

Broadband should be fine as it runs off the phone lines or cable direct to the house.

If you don't want to make major changes it's not a problem. The energy rating might be low too but that's old houses for you.

I agree about getting indemnity insurance, it's only to cover you should the listing dept decide to try to prosecute for work not agreed to by the planning or listing department. But councils need to know who did the work in order to prosecute and if you know it wasn't you and you also have indemnity insurance - usually paid by the vendors - then it's fine, you won't be prosecuted.

It hasn't bothered us, we compromise in places but definitely got more out of it but my brother in law thought he wanted a listed place and it's driven him mad.
He's managed to get cross about everything. He loved the doors and windows but when they had to be replaced was furious he couldn't make the double glazed. Adored the slate roof but once he released it was perfect for solar, hated the restriction. Didn't mind the downstairs bathroom but once he wanted to Airbnb it, the lack of ensuites and a hot tub made him cross about all that lost revenue.
He would have been better off buying a newer build and sticking a few reclaimed beams up.

Thanks everyone, really useful info.

Does anyone have any idea about buildings insurance? I understand that it’s higher, but am unable to find anything about how much higher it would be than for a non-listed house.

We purchase buildings insurance at a discounted rate through the ‘Listed Property Owners Club’ (and contents insurance through our bank).

www.lpoc.co.uk

We have a satellite dish but it’s hidden from view on the roof. Our next door neighbour’s also have a Grade 2 listed house - we are in a conservation area - and their satellite dish is in the garden with shrubbery to conceal it.

Very glad to have stumbled over this thread; we are midway through the process of buying a property and have only found out today that it's listed. It's a strange listing because it's only listed because of one of the walls (that forms an arch with another house) is listed so I'm hoping that it won't be too much of an issue. Like you, we don't want to do any real work but am slightly concerned about the additional costs and hassle that we might not have considered!

Mines listed it’s no big deal if you don’t wish to structurally change or rip our original features. Broadband is no issue here, we do have a satellite dish on the building as do all our neighbours, the council doesn’t come and check

Thank you all. We went, it was colder inside than out.

We see another on Monday. I’m starting to get stressed now about not finding a house at all!

I work in adaptations, being listed can prevent you doing quite a lot of things, eg a common thing we would do is get a door threshold removed, but couldn't if its listed. I think a stairlift is allowed.

This isn’t correct. It’s listed building consent which is the relevant legislation

you can’t indemnify against LBC

and contraventions of LBC apply to the house not the person who did it. Thus in the event it became apparent alterations had been made without LBC you as the current owner would be liable to either gain that consent, or if it were refused, rectify it

in the case of some spotlights this isn’t a big deal tbh. If, for example, they’d ripped out original features or fabric or made non compliant additions that would be more onerous and potentially very expensive to rectify.

your solicitor will check consents are in place

there is a wealth of info on the historic England website.

owning a listed building isn’t that much of a big deal, there are an awful lot of them about. But you should make an effort to familarise yourself with what it means.

^ that was in response to MrsPinkMarshmallow above

Is that really common; and it depends on what’s listed.surely you know this?