Aimée L Felton 2012

89 business. Within conservation literature and the limited amount of guidance available to owners of historic buildings there is very little information detailing other methods of financial gain or reward from owning prestigious buildings. With the current economic climate, VAT restrictions and lack of fiscal aid and grants available to large organisations for maintenance procedures, positive encouragement to own historic buildings could prove to be the missing element. Currently the organisations associate improved reputation and public interest as part of the value of owning historic buildings. However in order for the continued diversity of the built environment, further financial incentives could be further publicised. Although the information regarding the financial allocation of annual budgets towards theestatesdepartmentor assetmanagementof thevariousorganisations was difficult to access, due to privacy and confidentiality agreements, there was a prevailing suggestion throughout documents provided that maintenance managers had little or no access to decision processes regarding maintenance budgets. Improved communication between financial managers and asset or estate departments could prevent the occurrence of unnecessary work to historic fabric, to simply utilise the available funds, whilst financial allocations adjusted in accordance to the current maintenance management plans could allow for more suitable and longer term strategies. EIGHT Chapter Eight - Maintenance in practice Aimee Felton