Parsonage

Parsonage

Clergy housing generally falls into two types, Parsonage property and other clergy housing.

The parsonage is the residence of the incumbent in each benefice, and the freehold of the parsonage property is vested in the incumbent. Under Part 1 of the Church Property Measure 2018 the incumbent has power to sell, exchange, or develop the parsonage property. During a vacancy the parsonage continues to be vested in the incumbent, but the Diocesan Bishop has power to deal with the property.

The 2018 Measure requires various notices to be given and consents obtained before parsonage property may be purchased, exchanged or sold, and the incumbent or bishop must obtain a valuation report, written exclusively for their benefit, before proceeding with a parsonage transaction. If the various pre-conditions set out in the Measure are not observed, the consent of the Church Commissioners will be required to the transaction, and in the absence of such consent the transaction will be void although the transaction will valid in favour of a person who in good faith acquires an interest in the property for money or money’s worth (whether under the transaction or subsequently), regardless of whether any consent required from the Church Commissioners was given (s46(7) of the 2018 Measure ).

Although owned by the incumbent, responsibility for the maintenance of parsonage property lies with the Diocesan Board of Finance under the Repair of Benefice Buildings Measure 1972, which mandates the appointment of a Diocesan Surveyor and of a Parsonages Board for each diocese. Although there is no obligation on a diocesan board of finance to provide a parsonage for each benefice, the board does have an obligation to provide housing for full time stipendiary clergy under section 4 of the Ecclesiastical Offices (Terms of Service) Measure 2009. In practice, if no housing is offered, it may be difficult to attract a suitable member of clergy to minister to a vacant benefice.

The value of parsonage properties is shown on the balance sheet of the relevant diocesan board of finance, often forming a significant proportion of the assets shown on the balance sheet. This reflects the fact that the incumbent, although an ecclesiastical corporation sole, does not produce his or her own set of accounts; and that following a sale of a parsonage property, the surplus if any, after various statutory calls on the sale proceeds have been met under s13 of the 2018 Measure, is normally paid to the diocesan board of finance.

Parsonage properties generally should comply with the requirements of the Parsonages Design Guide published and updated from time to time by the Church of England. Under the terms of their Statement of Particulars (for clergy appointed on Common Tenure) clergy will normally be expected to take reasonable care of their parsonage accommodation and to notify the DBF if maintenance or repairs are required. Clergy will be responsible for their own utility bills, but Council Tax will normally be the responsibility of the Board of Finance. 

Where a parsonage property is larger than is required by the incumbent and their family, the diocesan board of finance may decide to reduce the size of the parsonage by serving a notice under section 8 of the Church Property Measure 2018, giving notice of their wish to transfer that part of the parsonage property which is surplus to the requirements of the incumbent to the diocesan glebe portfolio. The DBF must serve notice of such proposals on the incumbent (if any) and PCC, who will have the right to object to the proposals, and their objections will be considered by the Church Commissioners. Non-parsonage residential accommodation will be owned and provided to clergy other than incumbents by the DBF, and will normally be held by the DBF either as general charity property or sometimes as glebe property. Part 1 of the Church Property Measure 2018 will not apply to this type of property, which will be governed either by the Charities Acts 2011-22 in the case of general charity property or by Part 2 of the Church Property Measure 2018 in the case of glebe property. 

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