Can you help with my Grade II listed building?

Posted by Annual_Care2361@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 5 comments

Hello,

I am looking at buying a Grade II listed building. First time buyer, solo and self employed (yes I’m nuts). I’ve had trouble getting a builder in and my surveyor hasn’t been hugely helpful.

The property has:

no planning permission or listed building consents for PVC double glazing, a flue.
the attic is shared with the adjoining property. So the loft goes right into theirs. Not sure if loft hatch on their side too, will check. This means there is no firebreak between the properties.
vendor has changed the shower fitting since it was last sold and removed fireplace. But has not disclosed this in paperwork.

What would you advise I look into further or do?

Thanks so much.

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You haven't shared the listing so it's difficult to be specific, but it sound very much as though the vendor has neglected to maintain the property properly. That can cause major problems in older houses (listed or not). I say this because anyone who installs uPVC windows in a listed property without consent is doing a cheap, sloppy job, and the woodworm and the failure to install the en-suite are further indications they CBA.

If you are seriously considering this property you need a specialist survey to identify where maintenance is going to be needed and whether there have been any other unauthorised alterations. https://www.lpoc.co.uk/help-advice/listed-building-surveys/ can help. An ordinary survey will be insufficient. But even a specialist survey is not necessarily going to help you identify everything that will go wrong in a house that hasn't been well looked after.

Personally I wouldn't touch it, speaking from bitter experience after thinking that renovating an old house (conservation area but not listed) would be simply a matter of getting a survey done and the trades in. It wasn't. It was hell. Unless you are capable of doing much of the work yourself you won't make money in the process, and you are in for months or years of disruption and problem-chasing.

Before you do anything, spend an evening watching The Money Pit. Quite funny, and a cautionary tale.

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Cultural_Tank_6947@reddit

First time buyer and listed building? Na, don't do it.

I live in a conservation area, but not a listed building. It's bloody hard getting planning permission for pretty mundane stuff.

Just don't bother.

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Trilobite_Tom@reddit

My advise? RUN!

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