Regularly Maintaining and Repairing your Listed Property

Management and regular maintenance of your listed property reduces the need for infrequent, but potentially much larger (and expensive) repairs. Listed properties have the capacity to throw a significant and unexpected repair just when you weren't expecting it and often the symptoms were hiding in plain sight (that damp patch on the wall you ignored!). 

Hemp block insulation installed behind lath and plaster repairs.

Here are some good reasons why you should regularly maintain your listed property.

Preservation of property value: Regular maintenance will help to retain and even increase your listed property's market value over time. Well-kept homes are more attractive to buyers and can command higher prices.

Enhanced safety: Routine inspections and repairs ensure that your property remains safe, e.g. addressing issues like electrical faults, structural weaknesses, and pest infestations promptly.

Improved energy efficiency: Upgrading insulation, sealing leaks, and maintaining heating systems can significantly improve the energy efficiency of an old property, helping to reduce utility bills (check out my earlier post).

Historical and aesthetic preservation: Proper maintenance preserves the unique architectural features and historical charm of an old property, maintaining its character and appeal. See 1 above!

Cost savings: Addressing minor issues before they become major problems can save substantial amounts of money in the long run. Preventive maintenance is often far less expensive than major repairs or replacements.

Attracting quality tenants: If you're renting a listed property, regular maintenance attracts and retains quality tenants who are willing to pay higher rents for well-maintained homes. This leads to lower vacancy rates and better rental income.

So what can you do? There's plenty of help and advice on hand - here are a few good websites and publications to have a look at:

• Maintenance Week - the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) have some useful advice on what you can do regularly to keep your listed property in good shape.  They run an annual Maintenance Week (11-17 November this year) with some great tips on some of the things you can do, especially in the run up to winter. If you would like some help, please contact us. 

• Your Home - you can find lots of free, independent, practical advice on maintaining, repairing and improving your listed property on this useful Historic England web page.

• A Guide for Owners of Listed Buildings - this guide from Historic England has been put together to answer some of the most commonly asked questions by those who live in or care for listed buildings.

Providing sympathetic repairs to listed properties is what Churchgate Heritage does and I'm a firm believer in the 'little and often' approach when it comes to maintaining heritage properties. Regular maintenance of an old property is an investment that pays off in multiple ways, from financial gains to personal satisfaction and environmental sustainability.

#listedproperty #buildingconservation #periodproperty