How to List an Asset of Community Value Before It Is Sold

Most campaigns to save a village pub or a corner shop start the week the "For Sale" board goes up. By then it is often too late. In England, there is a tool that buys a community six months of breathing space when a valued building is sold, but it only works if you use it before the sale begins. It is called listing an asset of community value, and a group of 21 neighbours can apply for it with a form and a couple of evenings of work.

I have helped three groups through the process, two successfully. What follows is what the guidance leaves out: who can nominate, what councils look for, what the listing really gives you, and where people waste effort on the wrong buildings.

What an Asset of Community Value Listing Actually Does

The Localism Act 2011 lets local groups ask their council to put a building or piece of land on a register of assets of community value. Once listed, the entry lasts five years. During that time, if the owner decides to sell, they must tell the council first.

That notice starts the clock:

Six weeks for a community group to say it wants to be treated as a potential bidder.
Six months in total, counted from the owner's notice, during which the owner cannot sell to anyone else if a group has come forward.

Six months is enough time to form a community benefit society, run a share offer and apply for grants. It is not a right to buy. The owner can still sell to whoever they like at the end, at whatever price they choose. That distinction matters, and I will come back to it.

Who Can Nominate and Which Buildings Qualify

Not just anyone can apply. The nominating body must have a local connection, and the common options are:

A parish or town council.
An unincorporated group of at least 21 people who are on the electoral register in the council area.
A local charity, community interest company or community benefit society.
A neighbourhood forum.

The building or land must currently, or in the recent past, further the social wellbeing or social interests of the community, and it must be realistic that it could do so again within five years. Pubs, shops, libraries, community halls, sports pitches and green spaces are the usual candidates. Private homes cannot be listed.

How to List an Asset of Community Value Step by Step

Find your council's form. District or unitary councils run the register. Search their website for "community right to bid" or phone the democratic services team.
Gather your 21 names. Each needs a full name and address, and the council will check them against the electoral roll. Collect 25 or 30 so a couple of mismatches do not sink you.
Describe the boundaries. Attach a simple map with the land outlined. Councils reject nominations that are vague about whether the car park or garden is included.
Write the community use case. This is the heart of the form. Explain who uses the place, how often and for what.
Name the owner and occupiers if you know them. The Land Registry title costs a few pounds online and removes any doubt.
Submit and wait. The council has eight weeks to decide. It will notify the owner, who can ask for a review.

What Makes a Nomination Succeed

Councils turn down a fair number of nominations, and the reason is almost always thin evidence. "The pub is the heart of the village" is a feeling, not a case. These details carry weight:

Named groups that meet there: the darts team on Tuesdays, the walking club that ends at the bar, the parish meeting held in the back room twice a year.
Numbers, even rough ones. "About 60 people attend the quiz each month" is far stronger than "it is popular".
Letters from two or three organisations that use the building.
Photos of noticeboards, event posters or fundraising nights held there.

If the council turns you down, you can usually nominate again with better evidence. Some groups also take their case to a full council session; our guide on speaking at a local council meeting explains how to use those few minutes well.

Why a Listing Alone Will Not Save the Building

Here is the part campaign leaflets often skip. Many groups celebrate the listing as if the pub were saved. It is not. Most listed assets that come up for sale end up going to private buyers, because the community was not ready to raise the money in six months.

A listing is a head start, nothing more. The groups that succeed treat the approval letter as the start of fundraising, not the end of the campaign. That means:

Talking to a community shares adviser before any sale notice arrives.
Having a rough valuation, even an informal one from a local agent.
Building a list of pledges so you know whether 200 people will put in 250 pounds each.

Listing can also matter in planning. Councils may treat it as a material consideration if an owner applies to convert the building, which can slow a change of use. But that is a side effect, not a guarantee.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake	Why it hurts	Better approach
Waiting for the sale board	The moratorium only applies if the listing is already in place	Nominate while things are calm
Signatures from outside the area	They do not count toward the 21	Check each address against the council boundary
Fighting the owner in public	Owners sell faster and to anyone but you	Write to the owner early and explain the aim
No plan after listing	Six months passes quickly	Form a steering group straight away

Keep the tone with the owner friendly. Many publicans and shopkeepers would rather sell to the community, as long as they get a fair price and are not treated as villains. A strong case for buying local, like the one in our piece on why hyperlocal spending matters, wins more support than anger does.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this work in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland?

The asset of community value scheme applies in England. Wales has a separate set of rules, and Scotland runs its own community right to buy, which works differently and can go further. Check with your local council before you start.

Can the owner object to the listing?

Yes. The owner can request an internal review within eight weeks of the decision, and after that can appeal to a tribunal. Owners can also claim compensation for losses caused by the moratorium, which the council pays rather than your group.

What happens when the five years end?

The listing simply lapses. You can nominate the building again, and a fresh application with updated evidence is usually straightforward if the place is still in use.

Your First Move This Month

Pick the one building your neighbourhood would miss most, gather 25 local signatures and a clear map, and send the nomination before anyone talks about selling. Then start planning the money side straight away. More practical campaigns are collected in our local action section.