Barbican Estate home improvements

Making changes to your property

The Barbican Estate is statutorily listed for its architectural and historic interest, this means that proposed alterations may also need listed building consent.

If you are planning to make changes to your property you will need to make an application for Landlord's Approval.

Listed building management guidelines

To assist residents in understanding the listing of the Estate, the City of London Corporation has prepared listed building management guidelines (see related links). These explain what works will need listed building consent, and the types of alterations which are likely, or unlikely, to be approved. 

Landlords approval for your home improvements

If you have just purchased your property, you should not make an application to the Barbican Estate Office, until the assignment of transfer has been registered at our legal department.

Send an application in writing or via email to the Barbican Estate Team marked for the attention of your House Office detailing the following:

• any plans/drawings/specification for the alterations
• details for the contractor and a daytime contact number
• a daytime contact number for the long leaseholder
• required signed declaration of compliance (in the Standard Conditions for Proposed Works and Alterations on the Barbican Estate)
• signed forms in the Standard Conditions document (if the Garchey is being altered)
• a copy of your contractor's Waste Carrier Licence should also be attached with the application

As of 1 October 2023, the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has responsibility for higher risk residential buildings. For example. those at least seven floors or at least 18m in height; and has at least two residential dwellings.

The BSR is now the Building Control Authority for higher risk buildings in England. Therefore, where you would have previously applied to City of London Building Control for “regularisation” or “building notice”, an application now needs to be made to BSR.

Asbestos

If asbestos is being disturbed, be it tested, removed or encapsulated, your contractor should supply a copy of a Hazardous Waste Carrier Licence and associated paperwork to ensure that this is being dealt with in line with the Health and Safety Executive Standards.

As a rough guide, view the Asbestos in all blocks for some of the locations where asbestos containing materials have been located in the past. Please note: this is not an exhaustive list.

Retrospective landlord's approval

If you do not have paperwork for Landlord's Approval for alterations previously completed at your property, you should make an application retrospectively.

• Apply to your House Officer
• Outline (as far as possible) the changes that were completed, including ventilation systems (photographs may assist).
• If the Garchey system has been altered, complete Garchey form (in the Standard Conditions for Proposed Work and Alterations on the Barbican Estate) to arrange for the relevant inspection to be completed.
• Arrange to leave access to inspect the changes (key permission is preferable).

It is for the owner or their representative to check to see if in fact the completed alterations required the approval of another Department.