Assisting clergy & clergy widows
with housing in retirement.

Many who serve or are employed in the Anglican Communion in Northern Ireland live in what is called tied accommodation. This can have many names (vicarage, manse etc) with the most common term in use being “Rectory”.

This property must be vacated upon leaving the post/position that has come to an end either through retirement and sometimes in the event of ill health. In the latter circumstance it can be the case that securing a place to live can be a very challenging bridge to cross.

The Trust does not act as a bank or lender in the usual way of funding the purchase of property. The Trust however, in accordance with meeting criteria of being a charity, must establish “need” which it does by confirming an applicant's ability to secure a reasonable property to live in without assistance from the Trust. This will always be in the “opinion of the Trustees” as they discharge their duties with regard to good governance of trust affairs.

Having established the eligibility of an applicant the trust will assess the suitability of a selected property, in accordance with the criteria for properties (this is discussed personally with applicants) and subject to approval will proceed with the purchase by taking an equity percentage (joint ownership).

The Trust plays no part in identifying suitable properties which remains the responsibility of each applicant to offer to the Trust as suitable for their housing needs.

The Trust will normally assist up to the value of £60,000. In exceptional circumstances this can be exceeded subject to the approval of trustees.

Purchase of properties will always involve use of a solicitor from a panel held by the Trust. This legal representation will always act for the Trust and applicant (if approved for assistance) unless a conflict of interest arises which would prohibit the legal representative from acting for both parties. (Applicants are at liberty at all times to retain their own legal representative throughout the entire process of the Trust assistance scheme).

Following purchase, applicants sign a Trust deed whereby they are bound to comply with the scheme conditions until the Trust no longer retains an interest in the property (all the scheme conditions are discussed in detail with applicants at the initial contact stage).

The interest retained by the Trust can be redeemed (should the circumstances of the applicant's change) any time after 12 months in accordance with the criteria of the Trusts assistance scheme.

The above description is for illustrative purposes only. It is not intended to be exhaustive or set out every step of the process or criteria for applicants participating in the scheme.