Bats in the attic: as Noel Gallagher faces renovation delays, why are bats protected in the UK and what can you do about them?

Rocker Noel Gallagher and radio host Kelly Brook are among celebs who’ve had to rethink their renovation plans after bats were discovered in their countryside homes.
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Japanese Knotweed, rising damp and gazumping can all impact a house purchase or sale, but what about the lesser-known impact of roosting bats?

Bats are protected by UK law and, while it's very rare for these little flying mammals to cause any damage to a home, their presence certainly needs to be taken into account before you buy or try to renovate a property.

In fact, many people remain oblivious to the presence of a bat colony in their roof space for years — but the protected animals' choice of residence can seriously harm the sale or improvement of yours.

Rocker Noel Gallagher and radio presenter Kelly Brook are two notable names to have had renovation plans thwarted, at least in the short term, by roosting bats.

High Flying Birds frontman Gallagher and his wife Sara MacDonald recently moved to the countryside over fears for the safety of their two young sons, following two stabbings outside the family home in Little Venice, west London.

But now ecologists have discovered bats roosting in their £8 million mansion in Hampshire, putting a hold on the family's plans to renovate the country pile, according to the Daily Mail.

Earlier this year, Heart radio's Kelly Brook applied to build two bat boxes in the chimney of her Grade II-listed home in Kent after an ecology survey determined that she has long-eared and pipistrelle bats living in the roof.

Brook and her boyfriend Jeremy Parisi are renovating the 15th-century cottage, but have had to find ways to house the bats before work can resume.

Bats are protected under UK law so it's an offence to 'disturb' their habitat or roost
Shutterstock / Rudmer Zwerver

Why are bats protected?

Bat populations have declined alarmingly in recent years, largely due to the loss of their natural woodland and wild space habitats. They have adapted to roost in houses, barns, churches and under bridges.

"The legal protection afforded to bats means that it is not only a criminal offence to kill a bat, you also commit an offence if you ‘disturb’ a bat [for example, by interfering with its habitat] or if you damage or destroy a bat's roost [where they rest and breed]," says planning barrister Jack Parker, of Cornerstone Barristers.

"Various measures can be used to avoid any impact on bats, such as carrying out work at certain times of year when bats aren't present; by incorporating bat roosts into the development in question, or by making sure that artificial lighting is designed in a way which does not affect bats.

"Work which would disturb bats may only be carried out with a licence, which will only be granted in exceptional circumstances," adds Parker.

Living with bats

Bats are not rodents, so they won't nibble or gnaw at wood, wires or insulation.

They are unlikely to live in the same building all year round, but they usually return to the same roosts year after year.

"It is more common for bats to be affected in the countryside, but lots of bats live in urban areas, often around canals, and so it is not uncommon to find this issue cropping up," says Parker.

It's more likely you'll realise you have roosting bats in your house during summer months, when they are more active.

Selling a home with bats

It's essential that you inform potential buyers of bats in a property, as it may impact the decision to buy. If the information is withheld, it could result in a compensation claim at a later date - for instance if the buyers are refused permission for renovation work.

Visit bats.org.uk for more information.

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