Last Thursday, the House of Lords held a short debate in Grand Committee on chancel repair liability, initiated by Lord Avebury’s question: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to abolish the liability of private householders and others for chancel repairs.

Lord Avebury (LD) said that there was a consensus that reform of the law on chancel repairs was long overdue. He cited discussions with the Church, the Law Commission, the Law Society, the Country Landowners’ Association and the National Secular Society and gave a brief but helpful history of CRL. The Law Commission had recommended the abolition of CRL by statute after a 10-year notice period; but that recommendation was not implemented. Given that parochial church councils had refrained from enforcing their legal rights since 2003 and Wallbank, were they worth anything? He noted that the state already contributed hugely to the upkeep of churches through such measures as Gift Aid, the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme and the National Heritage Memorial Fund. Continue reading →