Professor Property Advice

My dad (aged 75) owns and lives in a listed building, built 1704, in a conservation area. He is concerned that the chimney may be unstable as there are some visible cracks in it, he is not a wealthy man and would like to know if surveys could be covered by grants, and a rough idea of what would happen if the chimney is found to be unsafe or in danger of collapse. This is his only home and obviously the chimney is an integral part of that house. I am trying to get as much information for him so he doesn't worry so much. We are in suffolk and the local authority is mid suffolk district council.

I think you should definitely contact the council
I pulled this off their web site. Hope it helps


Renovation grants
Renovation Grants from Mid Suffolk District Council provide financial assistance towards the cost of carrying out substantial repairs or improvements to ensure that the property is fit for human habitation.

These grants are currently available.

Renovation Grants are for private homeowners and landlords, and in some cases tenants, for major repairs and improvements, providing additional housing units by conversion, or restoring empty homes. These discretionary grants are means tested up to a maximum of £20,000 for owner-occupiers and tenants, and between £5,000 and £13,000 per unit for landlords (depending on how the property is intended to be let). The grants are paid subject to conditions for 10 years for owner-occupiers and 5 years for landlords and are repayable to the Council if the conditions are breached or the property sold within those periods.

Availability is limited.

More details may be found by viewing the council's Private Sector Renewal Policy on www.midsuffolk.gov.uk .

The type of works eligible for grant aid will be those needed to improve the property up to the 'Decent Homes' standard. These may include:

damp proofing
provision of sanitary facilities
provision of an adequate water supply
re-roofing
repairs or replacement of windows and doors
repairs to structure
improvements to kitchens and bathrooms
improvements to insulation and heating
Applications for renovation grants are subject to certain criteria and conditions being met. You should however note that in order to proceed with the application:

the property must have been built more than 10 years ago
the property must not be your second home or holiday home
you must have occupied the property for a minimum of 3 years prior to your application unless one of the following applies: The property has been unoccupied for more than one year or you intend to let the property.
Conditions relating to the future occupation of the property apply for a 5 or 10 year period, depending upon circumstances. A breach of these conditions will result in the need to repay the grant in full.

You will need to submit:

the completed application form (and in some cases documented evidence of your financial situation)
 at least two itemised estimates for the relevant work
 an deed of agreement document regarding the grant conditions
 a Certificate of Title
 plans and specifications (where necessary)
Should the works require Planning Permission, Building Regulation Approval or Listed Building Consent, the grant cannot be approved until these applications have themselves received approval.

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