Does a previous owner's grant affect you when you buy?

BuyingReviewed: 4 November 2026

The short answer

Generally, no. Property grants are awarded to the individual buying the property rather than tied to a particular building, so grants a previous owner received won't count against you. What matters is whether you — and the works you plan — meet each scheme's own conditions.

Grants follow the buyer, not the building

Andrew Cachia of grants.mt is clear on this one: "The grants awarded to previous owners will not affect you as a property buyer, since the property grants are awarded to the individual purchasing the property" — not tied to a particular building.

So a grant the seller received for their purchase or their works doesn't count against you. Your eligibility is assessed on you, and on the conditions of each scheme you apply for.

What the property itself can still decide

Past grants don't travel with the house, but the property's own characteristics can still matter for some schemes. A home in an Urban Conservation Area, for example, doesn't automatically qualify for a grant — some ask for more, such as evidence of historic detail. And for renovation grants, what counts is the kind of works you plan.

Check the scheme, not the seller's history

The useful question when you buy isn't what the seller claimed, but what you're eligible for. Read the guidelines of each scheme you're interested in, and ask the authority running it if anything is unclear.

Sources

Andrew Cachia — Yitaku Asks video (grants awarded to previous owners don't affect the buyer; property grants are awarded to the individual purchasing the property)
Individual grant scheme guidelines — conditions vary by scheme