Aimée L Felton 2012

19 Whilst the UK currently has no maintenance specific grants, fiscal incentives, tax deductions or VAT exemptions (unless charity or ecclesiastical) that owners of historic buildings can apply for, awareness and academic research within the conservation field is flourishing with the foundation of Maintain our Heritage (MoH) in 1999. English Heritage (EH. 2000:p5), in their seminal ‘ Power of Place ’ report published in 2000 clearly identified the correlation between proactive, preventative maintenance and long term economisation. MoH have since taken the mantle for improving the reputation of maintenance and resolving the paradox within conservation theory. The low value placed on maintenance, lack of available subsidy, supporting organisations and policing regime within the UK, has prevented MoH fulfilling their mission statement of bringing the Dutch ethos and service to historic building owners within the UK.The lack of clear and concise guidance on the key steps to undertake effective maintenance management within legislation and common knowledge has been the primary barrier to effective implementation of the scheme. The fundamental barrier is government involvement and fiscal policies, as well as a radical shift in attitudes to allow for a similar scheme of providing knowledge, to survive within the UK (Kindred,B. 2004:p21) where the differences between public policy and conservation practice need to be resolved before effective maintenance management can ensue (Forster, A and Kayan, B. 2009:p222). However, the drive to educate owners is being undertaken on one hand by the various different heritage focused organisations within the UK such as the National Trust, Historic Scotland and SPAB and on the other, with building conservation bodies subtly encouraging dilapidation, neglect and the restore- led culture through funding and the presentation of awards to the best rescues, conversions and restorations, not maintenance. Ruskin in 1849 speaking on Rouen Cathedral said ‘the principle of modern times... is to neglect buildings first and to restore them afterwards’ (as cited in Allan,G. 1999:p26) the task of Two•Two UK commitment to Maintenance Conservation TWO Chapter Two - Context Aimee Felton