Why more heritage homeowners are turning spare rooms into practical help
We’ve just got back from an incredible week showcasing at a conference helping owners of listed and heritage properties in the UK find specialist conservation suppliers and experts.
The event was a brilliant opportunity for us at Far From to showcase how volunteers can help with property maintenance, gardening, DIY, and pet-sitting, and to listen directly to what owners of historic and rural homes truly need.
As a platform that connects property owners with skilled volunteers in exchange for accommodation, this event couldn’t have been a better fit. We spent our time speaking with owners of historic homes, country estates, and period properties, many of whom told us they struggle to find reliable help for ongoing projects. From rural property restoration, heritage property maintenance and general country house upkeep, it was clear that a little extra help could go a long way.
Insights from conservation and maintenance experts
The conference organisers put together a fascinating line-up of talks from heritage conservation specialists and sustainability experts. One conversation that particularly stood out was with a sheep’s wool insulation supplier. Their customers, many of whom are over 70, often can’t reach attic areas to install insulation themselves, and tradespeople are booked up months in advance.
They immediately saw the value in recommending volunteers to help property owners complete these straightforward but time-consuming jobs. For owners with spare rooms, hosting volunteers through our platform offers a cost-effective, practical solution: work gets done, the property is cared for, and everyone benefits.
69% of households in England are under-occupied
It’s no surprise that many of the property owners we met told us they had unused space, but the national figures are even more striking.
According to the Office for National Statistics, nearly 69% of households in England are under-occupied , meaning they have more bedrooms than required. Research from Zoopla (2024) shows this trend is even stronger among older homeowners: nine in ten aged 65+ have at least one spare bedroom , and half have two or more, equating to around 10 million spare bedrooms nationwide .
This under-utilised space represents enormous potential; especially in larger heritage properties and rural homes, where extra rooms could be used to welcome volunteers who can assist with property upkeep.
Property owners reactions
We were genuinely overwhelmed by the enthusiasm from attendees. Here’s what some of the property owners told us:
"Would never have expected to find something like this at the LPOC conference. We’re so pleased we came across you."
"This is a great idea, I never knew this existed."
"We’ve been thinking about how we can use our spare rooms for help for a while, but we didn't know where to start, so this is great."
"I’ve retired early, and would love to be a volunteer and use this as a way of seeing more of the UK!"
They confirmed that what we offer fills a real need. Many property owners are eager to maintain or improve their homes but simply don’t know where to start or what options exist. Hearing that some visitors arrived at our stand out of curiosity and left inspired to take action was incredibly rewarding.
Lastly, thank you!
We’d like to thank every property owner, heritage enthusiast, and professional who stopped to talk to us. Your questions, feedback, and enthusiasm made the show truly worthwhile for us.
We’re also grateful to the team for organising the event and curating a strong speaker programme, it meant that many attendees came primed with curiosity, and it gave us the context for meaningful dialog.
If you visited our stand and haven’t yet had a chance to talk further, please do reach out. You can contact us here . We’d love to continue the conversation.