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nfumutual.co.uk
NFU Mutual is The National Farmers Union Mutual Insurance Society limited (No.111982). Registered in England.
Registered Office: Tiddington Road, Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire CV37 7BJ.
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BES/LBG/0815
LISTED BUILDINGS GUIDE
A GUIDE FOR
THE OWNERS OF
LISTED BUILDINGS
WHAT IS A LISTED BUILDING?
A listed building is a building, object or structure judged to be of national importance in terms of
architectural or historic interest and is included on a register. Owners of listed buildings are required
to maintain the style and character of the complete building, both externally and internally. This
includes any extensions already added and the area which immediately surrounds the building, which
may include garden walls, courtyards and even statuary within the garden.
The list is compiled by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and includes many different
buildings from castles and cathedrals to milestones and village pumps. There are around 500,000
listed buildings in the UK which are classified into three grades in England & Wales.
Grade I
Are of exceptional interest and considered to be of national importance.
Grade II*
Are particularly important buildings of more than special interest.
Grade II
Are nationally important and of special interest. 92% of buildings are in this
class and it is the most likely grading for a home owner.
In Scotland, the grades are categorised as A, B and C. In Northern Ireland, they are A, B+ and B1.
The definitions for grading in Scotland and Northern Ireland are broadly similar to those for England
and Wales.
WHY ARE BUILDINGS LISTED?
Listed buildings are considered part of our culture and heritage and help form the character of our
towns, villages and countryside. They are listed to protect the physical evidence of our past as they
have an architectural or historic interest or association, or have a group value.
INTRODUCTION
Our homes are our pride and joy. As well as housing
our treasured possessions, they are also home to
many great memories. You will have invested both
time and money to make your home comfortable,
warm and a safe place for your family and visitors;
but for most people they are also their greatest
financial asset. So it makes sense to look after your
home and when it is a listed building, you have
additional responsibilities to make sure it is
maintained for the future.
WHICH BUILDINGS ARE LISTED?
Broadly, buildings that are listed are:
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Those buildings built before 1700 that survive in anything like their original condition
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Most of the buildings built between 1700 – 1840
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Buildings built between 1840 and 1914 with definite quality and character and this includes the
major works of principal architects
Selected buildings of high quality or historic interest built between 1914 and 1939
HOW DOES LISTING AFFECT THE PROPERTY OWNER?
When a building is listed there are extra controls over what changes can be made to both the exterior and
interior of the property. Listed Building Consent is needed to repair, alter, extend or demolish any part of a
building or buildings within its curtilage. Work which may require Listed Building Consent includes:
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New or replacement windows or doors
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New roofing materials, new guttering
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Rendering or re-rendering
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Removal of chimneys, fireplaces, floors or plaster
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Work to garden walls and to curtilage buildings
It is a criminal offence not to seek consent when required and not knowing a building is listed is not a
defence to any criminal proceedings. Planning permission may also be required if there is an impact on
the external appearance of the building, which should be applied for at the same time as the Listed
Building Consent.
If you are in the process of buying a listed building you should make sure that Listed Building Consent
was obtained and adhered to by previous owners of the property for earlier alterations, as it becomes your
responsibility as the new owner to correct any alterations.
THE IMPORTANCE OF VALUATIONS FOR LISTED BUILDINGS
Most standard modern buildings can be priced for reinstatement using the Building Cost Information
Service (BCIS) of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, which will calculate a rebuilding cost
appropriate for most modern buildings. However, this is not an appropriate means of calculating an
insurance value for a listed building. There are many extra costs associated with the restoration of a listed
building, including;
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MAKING ALTERATIONS OR EXTENDING A LISTED BUILDING
When planning alterations to a listed building you should contact your local Conservation Officer who
can provide permission to make the alterations. The Conservation Officer’s role is to ensure that the
character and heritage of the property are maintained, whilst understanding the need to update properties
with items such as modern kitchens and bathrooms. Consent may be given for alterations with conditions
such as a requirement to use exactly the same materials as the original building.
Equally, you may be required to adopt modern building materials to show a clear distinction between the
old and new elements. As each case is considered individually, consulting the Conservation Officer early
in the process is recommended.
INSURANCE FOR YOUR LISTED BUILDING
Maintaining and improving a listed building will require specialist help and so does insuring the property.
In the event of a catastrophe in your home you will want an insurer such as NFU Mutual, who understands
and deals regularly with the additional requirements associated with listed buildings. For example, if your
listed property suffers storm damage you’re responsible, not just for a general repair, but for restoration
back to the building’s previous condition.
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Professionals, such as architects, surveyors, planning consultants and engineers are likely to be
required. With specific qualifications and experience with listed buildings, they can charge higher
rates and may not be available locally, so there will be accommodation and travel expenses on top
to consider.
Specialist craftsmen such as stone masons, plasterers and joiners able to work with traditional materials
and methods may be required. Locating and employing specialists is expensive and by its nature, work
on listed buildings can take longer than on modern buildings which increases the costs.
Traditional materials are often harder to source and more expensive than their modern equivalents.
Listed buildings often include stone, timber framed or walls constructed with hand made bricks and
roofs that require complex hand made trusses, covered in slate, hand made tiles or thatch. Conservation
Officer’s are keen to maintain traditional construction and building materials and may insist these are
used even where modern alternatives are available. It has been known for a stone quarry to be
re-opened so that the same stone can be used to extend repairs to a property.
Fixtures and fittings are usually of high quality, possibly even bespoke for the property and are unlikely
to be available from a local DIY store.
Location and complexity may add time and expense to restoration work. Listed buildings are more
likely to have limited access or frontages directly on to pavements. This makes working on them more
difficult and even restricts the delivery and storage of materials.
Time to undertake repairs or restoration work on a listed building is often extended by the need to
obtain approval from the Conservation Officer, liaising with professionals or sourcing specialist
tradesmen and materials. All of which creates additional expense.
SPECIALIST PROFESSIONAL VALUATIONS AND INSURANCE
The perils of under insurance
These additional costs means the repair or restoration of a listed building is usually considerably more
expensive than for a modern property, so the level of insurance cover must reflect this as under insuring
your property could leave you vastly out of pocket.
For instance, if you insure your buildings for £250,000 but the real reinstatement cost is £500,000 the
maximum you could claim is £250,000. However, some insurers also apply ‘averaging’ where claims are
paid in proportion to the sum insured. So in the example, although a claim for £100,000 for a partial
reinstatement is within the £250,000 sum insured, the claim could be reduced. As the buildings were only
insured for 50% of the true rebuild value, the claim would also be reduced by 50% so you would only
receive £50,000.
It is estimated that as many as 75% of listed buildings in the UK are under insured.
NFU Mutual understands that listed buildings require specialised insurance and this starts with making
sure that the property is insured for the correct amount. NFU Mutual can provide you with access to a panel
of expert professional valuers, who can provide an appropriate valuation of your property.
The professional valuer will undertake a detailed assessment of the property and will take into account the
type of construction, the materials used, features that are particular to the building, internal features such as
staircases or ceiling finishes, as well as wall finishes and fixtures and fittings. They will provide a simple,
clear report with an overview of the property and a recommended buildings sum insured, being the likely
costs that would be incurred in fully rebuilding the property to the same size and standard, in accordance
with current regulations.
If you choose to use the services of one of NFU Mutual’s panel of professional valuation companies there
are additional benefits, providing that you amend your sums insured in line with the valuation provided.
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We will refund 50% of the cost of the valuation as a one-off payment, provided the amount of the
refund does not exceed the annual buildings premium including any increase in premium as a result
of the valuation.
NFU Mutual will pay out up to 50% more than the buildings sum insured if this is solely to comply
with the requirements of the Conservation Officer.
For details of our panel of professional valuers and their fees please contact your local NFU Mutual agency.
LISTED BUILDINGS AND VAT
Valuations for insurance purposes generally do not include VAT. However, the application of VAT for new
building, alteration, repair and reinstatement is complex and it may or may not apply to building work
under an insurance claim. This creates the possibility that you may be under insured so NFU Mutual
recommends you contact HM Revenue & Customs or seek professional advice in this matter.
PROVIDING YOU WITH THE RIGHT COVER
Assisting with the valuation of your property is just one of the services that NFU Mutual can help you
with. When your home is a listed building there are a host of considerations when it comes to insurance;
however we’re here to help make the search as easy as possible. We understand that listed properties
need insurance which will protect the features that are unique to the property and will ensure you are
adequately covered in the event of any loss or damage to your home. We can show you the different
options available for covering both your buildings and treasured contents, and guide you towards the
right cover. From valuing fine art and collections to estimating the cost of rebuilding your property, we
are here to help.
Whichever NFU Mutual policy you choose you can rest assured that when you need us most we will be
there to help. When you need to make a claim our customer service representatives are available 24 hours
a day, to help you get the problem resolved.
Want to discover more about listed buildings?
Speak to your local NFU Mutual adviser today