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Original poster

Chancel Repair

16 replies

SK72 · 06/10/2022 18:36

Hello all, we are in the process of buying a property and the Chancel Check has returned revealing the property is in an area that could still be liable for Chancel Repair. Would you buy such a property? would it put off future buyers? The concevenacyer has suggested taking an indemnity insurance policy to cover the potential risk. I am sure as it is always a pain to make a claim when needed.

OP posts:
TeaStory · 06/10/2022 18:41

It’s really common - I’ve bought a place that had it because in some areas it’s inescapable. The insurance is really cheap so not a problem.

FTM2022SS · 06/10/2022 18:43

We got indemnity insurance think it was £12 from memory!

Orangesare · 06/10/2022 18:43

Chancel repair liability has only once been invoked in recent years but the couple did have to find £300k!
it is not necessarily your local church which the chancel repair liability is payable to. It is on the land so it can be for monasteries and priories etc that are no longer.
I’ve owned two houses with chancel repair and I just bought the insurance both times. There are some areas you couldn’t buy in without having chancel repair liability.
The buyers were from out of area both times so it did have to be explained that if they didn’t want a house with this issue they’d have to pick a different town.

FuzzyPuffling · 06/10/2022 19:00

Really common - I think it is something like 30% of houses in towns.
Indemnity insurance is really cheap and it wouldn't put me off at all.

Sailorchick14 · 06/10/2022 22:49

Our previous home had this. The insurance was really cheap. It didn't put us or our buyers off

Blankscreen · 06/10/2022 22:57

Once you have purchased for full value the church can no longer register the chancel repair against the title.

If its not on the title now and you have a short window between exchange and completion then you can rely on the priority search and not bother with the insurance.
That said the insurance is cheap and is fine to proceed.

Asparagoose · 06/10/2022 23:00

Insurance is pennies. It isn’t a problem. And it will never happen anyway but best to have the insurance.

SerotinaPickeler · 07/10/2022 08:09

We bought insurance which is cheap and is on the property not the property owner so can be passed on. As PP says it's unlikely to be enacted by the Church now as very bad optics

LoveLabradors · 07/10/2022 10:29

My current house has this, indemnity was very cheap. Wouldn’t put me off at all, it’s very common.

DeePlume · 07/10/2022 13:48

My last house and current house both have this condition. We just took out and indemnity. The conveyancer said it's really common and unlikely that they church will ever act on it.

FGSWhatNow · 07/10/2022 23:00

Our last two properties are in the same parish and were flagged as having a potential liability during the conveyancing process. We just got the indemnity insurance each time. The fact that it was 15 quid for something like £1million of cover tells you how likely it is that a claim would ever be made...

thephoticsneezer · 07/10/2022 23:04

Pretty much all the houses in our large village have it and we all have an indemnity

NowThatsWhatICall22 · 07/10/2022 23:51

Same here, indemnity was a one off payment c.£100 as part of the purchase costs paid to solicitor.

Cherubimbum · 08/10/2022 18:11

Bought an indemnity too, solicitor arranged it for us, it was very cheap.

caringcarer · 08/10/2022 18:53

It is so common. Just take the indemnity insurance. it is a one off cost not like paying every year.

Original poster
SK72 · 08/10/2022 20:08

Thank you all for your feedback

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