House membership benefits

In addition to receiving the benefits of general membership, house members receive the following support from the association to ensure they are sustainable for future generations:

Policy and public affairs

We advocate for a fiscal and regulatory framework in which our member places can thrive. Our dedicated policy team works closely with governments in Cardiff and London, with stakeholders, politicians, and regulators, to shape policy for the benefit of independently owned heritage.  We robustly represent our members’ interests in policy areas such as taxation, de-regulation, planning and tourism through engagement of all kinds.

• Direct discussions with ministers and civil servants.
• Meeting SMs and MPs of all parties.
• Producing robust evidence and case studies to support policy-making.
• Responding to government consultations and calls for evidence.
• Generating and supporting new research partnerships.
• Representing members at policy and industry conferences.
• Working with partners across the heritage and tourism sectors and contributing to collaborative projects.

Read our Policy for Wales

Technical advice and expertise

• We provide technical advice on everything that might be of use to the owner of a historic house, from succession to commercial activity, repairs and maintenance to grant applications.
• We have a team of expert advisers covering security, access, health & safety, and education (including grant applications). First-line advice is available free from our professional services sponsors, drawn from the fields of estate management, tax, accountancy, investment, insurance, and law.
• The members’ section of our UK website contains a library of hundreds of guidance papers on subjects from fire regulations to business rates, intellectual property to planning controls, filming to moth damage.

Seminars and peer-to-peer support

• We offer a range of seminars, workshops and learning events, open to owners, staff, and volunteers, covering topics from housekeeping to marketing, conservation to weddings.
• Our network of regional member groups across the UK enables owners to learn from one another, sharing their insights and experiences of running historic houses.
• Our members regularly meet at Wales and national AGMs and other networking opportunities.
• An online opportunities board on thee UK site brings the most valuable time-limited opportunities to your attention, from film location searches to grant funding streams, discounts and offers to competitions and awards.

Support for commercial activity

• Our member-access scheme can help boost the footfall and income of houses that open as tourist attractions.
• Our ‘Invitation to View’ platform allows houses that don’t typically open to sell tickets for owner-guided tours on dates and times convenient for them.
• We produce dedicated listings, in print and online, for houses offering accommodation in historic settings, from hotels and B&Bs to one-off overnights
• We publicise member places on our Wales and UK websites, in our quarterly magazine, and on our social media channels, raising the profile of wedding and event businesses, corporate hire or film location opportunities, and shows and festivals.
• We offer advice on handling media enquiries from press, radio, film and TV.

If you are a custodian of an historic property of significant architectural and historical merit, apply now for your house to be a Member and start receiving practical advice on all aspects of care and sustainability for your historic house and to support our heritage campaigns.

For more information and an application form, contact

info@historichouses.org or call 020 7259 5688