At Scanlans our property management portfolio is now approaching 20,000 units across more than 300 sites throughout England.
A number of these sites are listed buildings, which places responsibilities on their owners and leaseholders as custodians of premises which are of historical or architectural significance and are therefore protected under the law.
In turn, we as managing agents form part of this shield of protection, which presents a number of interesting challenges as we fulfil our role.
One of our latest instructions is to manage a listed apartment block in Bradford.
Law Russell House
Law Russell House, in the Little Germany area of the city, was built in 1873 as a textile warehouse, during a period when Bradford’s woollen industry was booming. The seven-storey, grade II listed building was recently converted into 71 apartments in a £4.5m scheme by Trajan Estates.
It’s an iconic building with bags of history, and we are proud to be managing the block. It represents a brilliant instruction where we can put our expertise to good use.
We need to appreciate, enjoy and cherish our listed buildings to preserve them for future generations.
When it comes to remedial works at such properties, we have to use contractors who have the necessary specialist experience and have met the criteria to be on a local authority list of recommended firms.
While many apartment schemes spring up in converted existing buildings, new-build projects abound and at those it is a very different story. You simply have to find the the best contractor for the job, give them the specification and tell them to ‘crack on’.
Because of their nature, listed buildings tend to be costlier to maintain on a like-for-like basis than unlisted ones. This invariably means that leaseholders are required to pay proportionately higher service charges than their counterparts at a new-build scheme. There has to be a higher reserve fund to cover the increased cost of hiring specialist heritage contractors.
No two buildings are the same, and there could be very different reasons why each has listed status.
Often, it is because of external features or the façade, but it could be on account of internal aspects of a building. At Law Russell House, the staircase is a listed feature. At another site we manage, an original Tudor fireplace in a communal area has given rise to the building acquiring listed status.
There is a certain level of wider, social responsibility resting on the shoulders of listed building owners and leaseholders. Because such properties are of historical or architectural interest or significance, whoever owns them is their custodian, acting on behalf of the rest of society, and not just for themselves.
Inevitably, limitations are placed on the scope and extent of works that can be carried out at listed buildings. Even the paint used has to be of a certain type and be sympathetic to the surroundings.
The expectations of owners in the 21st century have to be balanced against the regulations which protect listed buildings. For example, people may want external CCTV cameras erected around a listed building, but this would fall foul of the rules. Similarly with satellite TV dishes.
If the external façade of a building is listed, triple-glazed uPVC windows will be a no-no despite any clamour for more thermal-efficient properties.
Our role is often educational, and involves making apartment owners realise and understand that there are limitations to the alterations that are permitted at a listed property. Most are aware that they have a duty to protect listed buildings, and accept the restrictions placed upon them.
It’s vital that listed buildings are treated with respect, so heavy-handed drilling, for example, in some areas would be off limits.
These buildings are filled with charm and need to be authentically preserved.
Communication with owners and leaseholders is vital, and we regularly send out newsletters reminding them about their buildings’ listed status and emphasising that they must not undertake any works that would breach the regulations concerning their property. We also make regular visits, which gives us the opportunity to inspect the sites. These may be monthly, bi-monthly or quarterly, depending on the agreement with our client.
Our property managers love going to buildings with eye-catching architectural features or where their history oozes from every corner.
