Juan Mourep
Vital 1st Team Regular
http://money.aol.co.uk/2014/03/14/ancient-church-law-that-could-hit-house-prices/?icid=maing-grid7%7Cuk%7Cdl2%7Csec3_lnk5%26pLid%3D254756
Your local church could force you to pay for expensive repairs, under a little-known ancient law. The rules mean that if your parish church was built before 1536, then any time it needs repairs, the church can demand that local people foot the bill. The costs could run into tens of thousands of pounds - and destroy the value of your property.
The law
The law in question is called the Chancel Repair Liability. It dates back to the time of Henry VIII, when the church owned much of the land in the UK, so the houses were on land that belonged to the church. Back then, people who lived on the land had to pay tithes to the church, and part of that was used to maintain the church building - or chancel.
However, when tithes were abolished, nothing was done to remove the responsibility of those who lived on former church land to pay for the repair of the church. And in 2002 it was enshrined in legislation. It means that older churches can apply to have parishioners pay for the cost of repairs.
Costly
In practice churches tend not to use this right terribly often, as they prefer to raise the funds from those who give willingly. However, when necessary some will.
One of the most high-profile cases was in 2009 when a couple from Warwicksire were forced to sell their home in order to pay a £37,000 bill imposed by their local church - and the £250,000 in legal bills they had racked up fighting the church's demands.
You can check whether your home has had a liability registered with the Land Registry. The deadline for this to be done was October last year, which is why over the last few years 12,000 householders have received a letter out of the blue saying they are suddenly liable.
Two angry victims are Elaine Hession and Jonathan Hill, who have set up a Facebook campaign in response to a demand from their church, and are pushing for the law to be changed.
How Christian of them!
Your local church could force you to pay for expensive repairs, under a little-known ancient law. The rules mean that if your parish church was built before 1536, then any time it needs repairs, the church can demand that local people foot the bill. The costs could run into tens of thousands of pounds - and destroy the value of your property.
The law
The law in question is called the Chancel Repair Liability. It dates back to the time of Henry VIII, when the church owned much of the land in the UK, so the houses were on land that belonged to the church. Back then, people who lived on the land had to pay tithes to the church, and part of that was used to maintain the church building - or chancel.
However, when tithes were abolished, nothing was done to remove the responsibility of those who lived on former church land to pay for the repair of the church. And in 2002 it was enshrined in legislation. It means that older churches can apply to have parishioners pay for the cost of repairs.
Costly
In practice churches tend not to use this right terribly often, as they prefer to raise the funds from those who give willingly. However, when necessary some will.
One of the most high-profile cases was in 2009 when a couple from Warwicksire were forced to sell their home in order to pay a £37,000 bill imposed by their local church - and the £250,000 in legal bills they had racked up fighting the church's demands.
You can check whether your home has had a liability registered with the Land Registry. The deadline for this to be done was October last year, which is why over the last few years 12,000 householders have received a letter out of the blue saying they are suddenly liable.
Two angry victims are Elaine Hession and Jonathan Hill, who have set up a Facebook campaign in response to a demand from their church, and are pushing for the law to be changed.
How Christian of them!
