External Decorations
The Diocese are responsible for carrying out external redecorations on a cyclical basis.
Savills will contact the occupant to make arrangements when their property is due for redecoration.
Windows and Doors
While the repair and replacement of windows and doors is the responsibility of the Diocese, occupants are asked to take responsibility for basic care; for example, cleaning and lubricating with suitable products.
Our houses have a wide variety in type and standard of windows and doors. Locks are provided on all ground floor windows and windows overlooking flat roofs. The Diocese is providing five lever mortice locks on ground floor external doors.
The Diocese is responsible for the maintenance and replacement of door knockers, but occupants are responsible for the installation and maintenance of doorbells.
Roof, Brickwork and Chimney Stacks
The roof, brickwork and chimney stacks are the responsibility of the Diocese.
Savills would like to hear from you if you notice multiple slipped roof tiles, or excessive moss growth on the tiles.
Gutters, Downpipes and Drainage
The Diocese is responsible for the gutters, downpipes and drainage, including an annual gutter clean and septic tank maintenance and emptying.
Please take care not to block drains or allow leaves and debris to build up.
Internal Decorations
Internal decorations are the responsibility of the occupant. There are two different internal decoration grants available, depending on how long ago you moved in. The Diocese encourages the PCC to assist clergy with internal decorations; for example, on taking up a new appointment or in times of difficulty.
Where damage has been caused by a structural issue (e.g. a plumbing leak), the Diocese will contribute some or all of the costs of redecorating, depending on the circumstances.
Occupants are encouraged to adopt a programme for redecoration, for example working on one room (walls and woodwork) per year. All internal decoration must comply with a neutral colour palette. The Diocese does not permit the use of wallpaper or textured paint finishes to ceilings or walls, because they can prove difficult to remove.
We will ask the occupant to reinstate the décor according to these standards before their departure, making good any damage from nails and fixtures and leaving the walls clean. This ensures that for upcoming moves, the internal walls of a property will be clean and in a reasonable state of repair.
Cracks
As the occupant of the property, you are the most likely person to notice cracks internally and externally and observe whether they are worsening.
Fine cracks, especially if they run parallel with the walls and ceiling, are usually due to shrinkage of plaster and should be dealt with as part of internal decorations.
Cracks wider than a hairline, or worsening significantly over time, may be structural and should be reported to Savills for assessment as soon as they are observed. Photographs or a series of photos would be helpful.
Floor Coverings and Carpets
The Diocese provides a durable floor covering to kitchens, utility rooms, bathrooms, shower rooms and WCs. This will be replaced only when it has reached the end of its useful life.
It is the responsibility of the occupant to provide and maintain flooring (most commonly carpets and underlay) in all other rooms, both when moving in and throughout occupation. Occupants are asked not to stick carpet to the floor, or allow foam backed carpet to become stuck over time, due to the possibility of routine repairs causing damage; the Diocese would not accept liability in such circumstances.
All carpets ‘inherited’ when you move in are gifted to you, and it is the responsibility of the occupant to replace them when they become worn. We do ask though, that inherited carpets are not removed without good reason, except to be replaced.
The Diocese will consider providing carpets for clergy who are unlikely to occupy the property for more than three years, i.e., training curates or clergy in Interim Common Tenure posts. Please submit a request for works outside of policy; the Archdeacons will consider these on a case-by-case basis.
Woodblock floors are no longer provided and existing ones will only be maintained by the Diocese where they are in good working order and have not previously been under an alternative floor covering. Where woodblock is in poor condition, it will most likely be removed.
Curtain Tracks and Poles
Curtain tracks and poles are the responsibility of the occupant and any you ‘inherit’ when you move in are gifted to you, for you to maintain and replace when required.
Sockets and Switches
All electrical fixtures (sockets, switches, light fittings) are the responsibility of the Diocese and will be subjected to an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) every five years to ensure they are functioning safely.
If an occupant wishes to change the configuration of switches or sockets in any part of the house or outbuildings, this will be at their own expense and can only be carried out after first consulting Savills regarding a) the proposed changes and b) the proposed contractor (to ensure they hold the correct qualifications and certifications).
Lighting
The Diocese is responsible for the installation and maintenance of all lighting fixtures (pendants, wiring, spotlight casings) but the occupant is responsible for all light fittings (bulbs, lampshades etc)
Fireplaces and Chimneys
The Diocese is responsible for keeping open fires in living rooms repaired and functioning. Fireplaces and surrounds will be considered for replacement if they are beyond repair, but not for purely aesthetic reasons.
Maintaining wood burners is the responsibility of the occupant.
The occupant is responsible for sweeping chimneys and removing obstructions to the chimney such as birds’ nests. Sweeps should be commissioned annually using a HETAS certified contractor, and a copy of the certificate should be sent to Savills. To find a local HETAS chimney sweep, go to the HETAS website. Persistent problems which require the capping of chimney pots, or problems identified during a sweep, should be reported to Savills.
Should the occupant choose not to conduct an annual chimney sweep and submit the certificates to Savills, Savills will, in consultation with the occupant, cap the chimney to prevent wildlife and debris from getting in and causing damage.
Study Space and Shelving
The Diocese is committed to providing:
- A space for study
- A space for pastoral meetings
- Reasonable shelving provision
- Space to store robes
Not all curates’ houses have designated spaces for study or pastoral meetings, because office space is sometimes provided in the church buildings.
Kitchen Units
Kitchen units are the responsibility of the Diocese.
In broad terms, kitchens are expected to last at least 20 years. Kitchens that need replacing will be identified by Savills through the QI or annual property visits.
Adequate provision of wall and base units will be provided within the constraints of the room layout and space available, which means there is no standard number of units or cupboards.
Appliances
The Diocese provides space and connections for the occupant’s own fridge/freezer, dishwasher, cooker, washing machine and tumble dryer. It is the responsibility of the occupant for installing their appliances – please ensure any gas cookers are installed by a suitably qualified gas engineer.
On rare occasions, a property may already have a built-in oven and hob which will be retained until it is beyond repair. At this point it may be appropriate to reconfigure the kitchen to accommodate a free-standing cooker, to be purchased by the occupant.
Extractor Fans
The Diocese will install and maintain extractor fans (or an externally vented cooker hood) in kitchens and bathrooms where condensation or ventilation is a proven problem.
Cleaning and replacing filters is the responsibility of the occupant and we kindly ask occupants to regularly clean fan casings. Please inform Savills if a fan ceases to function properly.
Bathrooms, Shower Rooms and WCs
Bathroom suites are the responsibility of the Diocese. All other fittings are for the occupant to choose, install and maintain.
In broad terms, bathroom suites are expected to last at least 15 years. Bathroom suites or tiles that need replacing will be identified by Savills through the QI or annual property visits.
The Diocese will install white suites and tiles to maintain a neutral and easily matched colour scheme.
Built-in Wardrobes
A number of properties have built-in wardrobes. The Diocese has adopted an interim policy whereby at vacancy, any built-in wardrobes will be considered for removal due to the impracticalities of keeping them aired and maintained.
Gardens
From 2025, vacancies will be used to ‘simplify’ gardens so they can be as easily maintained as possible for subsequent occupants e.g. by reducing decorative borders, beds and shrubs and converting them to lawn; removing poisonous, invasive and especially thorny plants and trees; trimming hedges to six feet. This review will include sheds, garden rooms and greenhouses: any outdoor structures that are not wanted by the current occupant and are in a poor state of repair will be removed.
Thereafter is the responsibility of the occupant to maintain the garden and keep it under control, with some key exceptions:
- Large trees: The Diocese is responsible for the management of all large trees within the boundary of the property, which are monitored under a three- five year tree management cycle. Any dead, dying or dangerous trees will be prioritised for treatment. As will trees that have grown to a size where they are causing damage to properties, utilities or where complaints have been received from the local authority. If occupants identify any deterioration of trees on or overhanging their property, please inform Savills.
- Invasive, pervasive and poisonous plants: The Diocese will take over responsibility for managing invasive, pervasive and poisonous plants and trees. They will be removed systematically across the portfolio, over approximately the next five years. In return, clergy must not plant any new invasive, pervasive and poisonous plants and trees on the property and keep creepers such as ivy under control.
- Boundaries: The Diocese is responsible for all boundary fences and walls – unless the boundary belongs to a neighbouring property or is a party structure. The minimum standard agreed is a fence capable of keeping supervised, small children within the garden. Boundary fences of houses bordering agricultural fields will need to be stock proof and, under Common Law, the Diocese will require the adjoining owner to provide the necessary fencing. The Diocese is responsible for maintaining and replacing existing gates.
The occupant remains responsible for:
- Pruning small trees, shrubs and hedges to prevent excessive growth.
- Mowing the lawn regularly throughout the growing season
- Maintaining patios, sheds and greenhouses. The occupant is also responsible for installing any new patios or garden structures but may only do so after consulting Savills first and agreeing to remove them, if requested, prior to their departure. The only exception is where there is no other storage facility (e.g. garage), in which case the Diocese will provide a suitable substitute.
Garden Grant
In order to support clergy with this responsibility the Diocese will reimburse up to £150 each year, to spend on whatever is required to maintain the garden. For example: equipment (lawnmower, strimmer, hedge trimmer); employing a gardener during the summer months; paying for a local council garden waste collection service.
For larger equipment purchases the Diocese will reimburse the equivalent of up to 5 years claims at once. This will then prohibit further reimbursements being made in this time once the maximum of £750 has been claimed. For example if £450 is claimed in year 1 to purchase a lawn mower the clergy person is then not entitled to any further reimbursement until year 4. We do not wish to be prescriptive with what can be claimed but receipts for items with purposes other than garden maintenance will not be eligible for reimbursement.
To apply, please visit the grants page.
Some occupants may require extra assistance (e.g. due to disability, a health condition, frailty or other exceptional circumstances). The Diocese encourages use of the request for works outside of policy process to access support.
Driveways, Paths and Garages
The Diocese is responsible for maintaining driveways, the condition of which will be checked during the QI and works carried out as necessary.
The Diocese will provide a path from the front of the house to the rear and, where appropriate, to a washing line.
Benefice Houses will normally have a garage, but this is not possible in all cases. The Diocese will provide parking for at least one vehicle.
Occupants are asked to keep driveways and paths free from weeds and tree debris build-up.
Occupants must ensure that members of the public are not able to cross their gardens regularly over a period of years, other than in using the appointed route to the front door. Long term use may establish rights of way by prescription.