Buying Property from the Church

davidmcn

Lunchbox said:

It is indeed against the law. The Charities Act only allows Trustees to dispose of assets, including property, at below market value in very limited circumstances e.g. to another charity or if it’s in their best interests to dispose of at a lower value, but the latter would be quite difficult for them to evidence. It certainly isn’t a normal property transaction and shouldn’t be treated as such.

Though of course the best way of determining market value is to expose it to the market and see what happens...

Lunchbox

davidmcn said:

Lunchbox said:

It is indeed against the law. The Charities Act only allows Trustees to dispose of assets, including property, at below market value in very limited circumstances e.g. to another charity or if it’s in their best interests to dispose of at a lower value, but the latter would be quite difficult for them to evidence. It certainly isn’t a normal property transaction and shouldn’t be treated as such.

Though of course the best way of determining market value is to expose it to the market and see what happens...

I suspect they will require a RICS valuation and that’s what they’ll have set as their benchmark.

Robin9

Beware @MissR123 the CofE moves very slowly in these matters - it took them 3 years to sell our old Vicarage as it had been part of an ancient plot and there never had been any boundaries established.

GaleSF63

theartfullodger said:

Lovely people?  I've met rather too many tenants evicted by such "lovely" people so they might profit by it.

And there shall be a great profit/prophet throughout the land .....

They read their bible but they've never learnt to spell...

greatcrested

GaleSF63 said:

theartfullodger said:

Lovely people?  I've met rather too many tenants evicted by such "lovely" people so they might profit by it.

And there shall be a great profit/prophet throughout the land .....

They read their bible but they've never learnt to spell...

Surely the spelling depends on which version of which translation they are reading...

MissR123

Jude57 said:

OP, when buying from the Church it's important to know whether the property brings any Chancel Repair liability. If the property has only recently come into the Church's ownership this is possibly less likely but you must still make sure you check it out. You can buy indemnity insurance but it may not cover every eventuality so you need to make sure you understand your potential liability. 

I'm sure other posters may have more up to date knowledge of this area, but I just wanted to put it on your radar.

Thanks for this I had no clue about it but will research now. 

Thank you very much to everyone for taking the time to reply it’s been a big help. I believe the church only bought it in 2007 and it is on a housing estate so boundaries shouldn’t be an issue. 

Sounds like the estate agent is correct on the lack of negotiation, I will view on Thursday and decide if I think it is worth it or not. Although the slow transaction and possibility of being outbid at the last minute would be a concern.  I’ll keep you posted! 

Bonniepurple

Robin9 said:

Beware @MissR123 the CofE moves very slowly in these matters - it took them 3 years to sell our old Vicarage as it had been part of an ancient plot and there never had been any boundaries established.

The CoE tends to move very slowly in all matters!

Davesnave

Bonniepurple said:

Robin9 said:

Beware @MissR123 the CofE moves very slowly in these matters - it took them 3 years to sell our old Vicarage as it had been part of an ancient plot and there never had been any boundaries established.

The CoE tends to move very slowly in all matters!

...and in mysterious ways.

Ditzy_Mitzy

princeofpounds said:

theartfullodger said:

A church, surely, rather than "the" church?

I think by virtue of Establishment they still deserve the definitive article.

Not just establishment.  The word 'church' has various meanings from single building to congregation, denomination and Christianity as a whole.  Generally 'a church' means a church in the sense of the physical object, the building.  On the other hand 'the Church' refers to any of the larger bodies such as branches, sects and denominations i.e. the Catholic Church.  It may also be used in relation to Christianity as a whole.  It's more than opinion, there are proper linguistic reasons to use the definite article here.  
It's analogous to 'a Ford Sierra' and 'the Ford Motor Company'.  

AdrianC

Ditzy_Mitzy said:

It's analogous to 'a Ford Sierra' and 'the Ford Motor Company'.  

It's very analogous to your local Ford dealership, franchised out to a series of profit-centred organisations...

(If they're all selling the same product, why can't they agree on the sales manual, let alone the specification of the product?)