Chancel search risk

dannyp123

During the searches of the property I have put an offer. The below risk came from chancel search which I have no clue what so ever. Can someone help me what this is please?

"The above building is located within the historical boundary of a
tithe district within a parish which continues to have a potential
chancel repair liability based upon historical parish boundary data
and the relevant Inland Revenue Indices held by the National archive",

G_M

It meansthere is a remote possibility the local church could demand you contribute to restoration.

There have been around 3 cases of this actually hapenning in the last 10 years, but the costs were in £10,000s!

You can buy indemnity insurance to protect agains this possibiltiy for £100 or so....

ValHaller

G_M wrote: »

It means there is a remote possibility the local church could demand you contribute to restoration.

Churches do this so that they can have some poor people in their parish and then they can do as Jesus said

Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor

G_M

Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor

Isn't the Church the largest (2nd largest?) land-owner in the country...?

Debbie4121

It means if the church roof is hit by a meteor and falls in, you have to pay a share of the repairs. We had a similar situation on our last property. Ask your solicitor - ours provided Chancel Insurance for a one off payment of around £60 (off the top of my head).

Lord_Baltimore

Ask the seller to insure you against the possibility of chancel repair liability. It won't cost much and shouldn't get in the way of a sale as so many properties in England and Wales are potentially affected.

It'll be the last you hear of it I suspect.

welshwizard1927

Note the rules regarding chancel liability are changing in October this year. It won't change the level of risk to anyone buying a house before 13 October 2013, but after that date those buying an interest in a property will do so without being liable for any new claims.

Of course, it will still be possible to be liable for existing claims.

ElkyElky

It's ironic that the catholic church is an incredibly rich organisation yet they ask hard working, struggling to make ends meet people to pay for their repairs.

The whole Chancel thing should be abolished.

ValHaller

ElkyElky wrote: »

It's ironic that the catholic church is an incredibly rich organisation yet they ask hard working, struggling to make ends meet people to pay for their repairs.

The whole Chancel thing should be abolished.

It's the other lot.

Richard_Webster

I suspect that most Anglican parishes with buildings that were parish churches pre 1836 are highly embarrassed at having these "rights" and I have seen cases where the Church Council has executed a deed of relinquishment to get rid of them, but the real issue is that the silly government didn't simply abolish the right completely instead of coming up with the present half baked situation where it will gradually go from 13th October this year onwards as houses and land change hands.

The damage to Church PR through enforcing these rights is likely to be much greater than the loss of the odd chancel. If people want an old building preserved that is up to those who are into old buildings, but the Church is not about preserving old buildings but about presenting Jesus as relevant to people's everyday lives. If the Church building falls down most country Church congregations could easily meet in the local pub (and help to keep it open).

phoebe1989seb

Richard_Webster wrote: »

I suspect that most Anglican parishes with buildings that were parish churches pre 1836 are highly embarrassed at having these "rights" and I have seen cases where the Church Council has executed a deed of relinquishment to get rid of them, but the real issue is that the silly government didn't simply abolish the right completely instead of coming up with the present half baked situation where it will gradually go from 13th October this year onwards as houses and land change hands.

The damage to Church PR through enforcing these rights is likely to be much greater than the loss of the odd chancel. If people want an old building preserved that is up to those who are into old buildings, but the Church is not about preserving old buildings but about presenting Jesus as relevant to people's everyday lives. If the Church building falls down most country Church congregations could easily meet in the local pub (and help to keep it open).

Coincidentally we have today received a copy of our local newsletter covering the five villages that make up our parish. It contains an article entitled "A good news story' which explains that our local Parochial Church Council have appealed to the Church Commissioners seeking exemption from having to pursue villagers living on former monastic/church land under the 2002 Act. They have recently heard that their appeal was successful and therefore the threat of Chancel Repair Liability no longer hangs over our five villages........

We opted to take the risk on this and didn't bother to pay for indemnity insurance when we bought our Georgian village house in 2011 - although I've often thought we should have..........as it happens it doesn't matter anyway now!