Clergy Housing

Safe

1. The building is structurally sound with no defects
2. The building has secure, function doors and appropriate outside security measures. We will carry out a risk assessment on properties where security is deemed to be of particular importance
3. All windows will have window locks
4. All doors will have mortice locks
5. We will fit and maintain indoor alarm with motion sensors
6. We will fit, and maintain, two smoke alarms – usually one on the hall and one on the landing

Warm

1. The building is appropriately glazed (usually double glazing) and the windows and door system works
2. The building has an appropriate (preferably gas) central heating system and decent radiators throughout
3. The building has appropriate insulation
4. The building has an appropriate energy assessment certificate

Comfortable

1. The property has at least one bathroom suite with shower and bath facility assessed to be in reasonable condition according to RICS – design will be from a standard range
2. The property has a separate toilet and washroom facility for guests assessed to be in reasonable condition according to RICS – design will be from a standard range
3. The property has a kitchen with an appropriate cupboard and workspace assessed to be in reasonable condition according to RICS (we will not provide white goods)
4. Any carpets and decoration will be to a clean and tasteful standard

We want you to be able to focus on your ministry while you live in a safe, warm comfortable home. We have a duty to carry out reasonable repairs to your home to maintain it to the standards we all expect.

Our responsibilities

We are responsible for providing you a safe, warm comfortable home. Our intention is to do this in the most efficient way possible which means that we will be working to deliver planned programmes of maintenance and improvement. We want to be partners with you in this.

It is in your interest to help us help you and we appreciate your co-operation.

Managing standards
We will manage the standards through a move in and move out inspection. The process will be a checklist to agree on standard between our Property Surveyor and the incumbent when taking on the property and then reviewing and updating that on vacating.

We work in the following ways

• Carrying out stock condition surveys
• Servicing gas appliances
• Insuring your building
• Managing contractors

Carrying out stock condition surveys
The best and fairest way to maintain and improve all of our clergy housing stock is to make sure that we have reliable information about the condition of our stock. Through our stock condition survey, we now have data on the age and condition of all the vital parts of a home – both inside and out.

Through this, we are going to be able to work on our programmes of repair and improvement. Now that we have comprehensive information about the condition of our properties we will continue to have a regular programme of inspections.

Servicing gas appliances
We have a moral and legal responsibility to service all gas central heating and fires provided by the diocese on an annual basis. We take our responsibilities very seriously and dedicate a contractor to make sure this happens.

As this is a legal requirement we expect you to give us reasonable access to your home and will give plenty of notice to enable this to happen. We keep track of when every home is due to be serviced and will contact you two months ahead of the due date to arrange the appointment.

In the rare event that we are denied access to carry out this vital work then we will take appropriate action.

Insuring your building
The LDBF insures all clergy houses with their surrounding walls, fences, gates etc under a block policy with the Ecclesiastical Insurance Group. This covers accidental and other damage but not normal wear and tear.

Making a claim
If your home, or the area around your home, is damaged in any way then you must report this to the clergy housing team. They will then assess whether we need to claim on our insurance.

In these cases to help us with this please:-

• Log as much information about the incident as possible
• Take as many photographs of the damage as possible
• If the damage is a result of a crime then you must report that crime to the police. We will need the crime number to make a valid claim.

Please give this information to the Clergy Housing Team promptly to enable them to process a claim

Managing contractors
The clergy housing team is responsible for instructing and managing contractors. This makes sure that we are able to control our budget and the quality of work. So it is only nominated members of staff at St James House who have the authority to instruct contractors.

If you instruct a contractor to carry out any work not authorised by our staff it will be at your own cost. You could also be liable for returning any work that we don’t consider should have been carried out to its original state.

We aim to manage our contractors to achieve the highest possible standards of work at the best value for money. We continue to review our contractor’s performance against budget, standard, and service. We are keen to hear your views and feedback on any of our contractors.

You can do this by emailing clergy.housing@dioceseofliverpool.kinsta.cloud

Your responsibilities

You have a share in the responsibility for making sure your home is safe, warm and comfortable – not just for yourself but for future generations.

Taking care of your home and garden
You are responsible for keeping your home in a reasonable condition for the benefit of yourself, those who you live with and for any future occupants. We will expect the home to be returned to us in the same condition as it was offered to you (allowing for reasonable wear and tear).

You, with the help of your parish, will be responsible for

Maintaining a good standard of decoration in your home.
We expect the property to be handed back to us decorated in neutral colours. You are able to decorate the property tastefully while you occupy it but you will need to return it to this state.

You are responsible for putting in carpets or floor coverings (unless they are left from the previous occupant) and you receive a grant to be able to do this. You will also be responsible for any curtains and window coverings in your property. You receive a decoration grant when you move into your property to help you with this.

Maintaining a good standard of maintenance in your garden
We know that different people have different levels of interest and desire for a garden. We will make sure that the garden you receive is of a basic standard. However, if you change it you need to be aware that we would need it in a good standard for the next occupant. So if you are thinking about radical changes – for example having outdoor pets – you need to be mindful of how you will return it to that basic standard.

You are advised to check with our Property Surveyor before agreeing to any wholesale changes.

You will need to make sure that trees and bushes are kept reasonably pruned.
Link to tree policy

Altering and improving your home
We understand that there may be many reasons why you would want to improve and alter your home. This may include alterations to improve accessibility for yourself or other improvements that make your home more attuned to your desires.

However, you cannot make any major internal changes without the explicit written agreement of the LDBF.  We will not reasonably withhold permission but may ask for a property to be put back into its original state when you leave.

If you are considering improvements then you must speak to our Property Surveyor before developing any plans.

Insuring your contents
You are responsible for insuring your own contents. You must make sure that your security system is always used and you use all window and door locks. If you don’t you may affect your insurance policy.

White goods
You are responsible for the installation and removal of any white goods you may need during your occupancy.

We believe that moving into a clergy home is a really important part of the process.

So we want to make sure that you

• move in well
• are clear about the standard of the home you are moving into and the expectations we have
• know how to report any issues
• understand what our and your responsibilities are

We will always carry out a survey of a clergy home before the person moves in. This will be a professional assessment linked to our ongoing survey process. Your home will have been occupied before you move in and we will also want to make sure that the previous occupants have left it in a good condition.

Our aim before you move in will be to make sure that you will be living in a warm, safe comfortable home.

So we will

• welcome you to your home
• make sure that anything urgent that affects your immediate well-being when moving in is addressed
• if we don’t already have that information we will complete a full condition survey
• identify any work that may be due in the upcoming years (ie kitchen/bathroom replacements) We will aim to tell you when any of this work is likely to happen
• agree on the condition of the property as you move in and set the expectation on the standards for when you may move out
• Make sure that the property is in a clean, acceptable standard – if carpets are included that these are clean.
• Have safe floorcoverings
• Have a functioning heating system
• Make sure that all doors and windows are suitably lockable
• Ensure the bathroom and kitchen fittings are of an adequate standard (and inform people as to when they are programmed for any upgrade)
• Ensure the garden is clean, tidied of furniture and neatened to a basic standard
• Have details on how any systems and appliances function
• Listen to your comments and feedback about the home you are moving into