Before vacating the property, please ensure that you have taken responsibility for:
Cleaning & emptying:
- The house must be left both clean and completely empty (including garages and outhouses).
- It is essential that all white goods are taken with you and not left for the next incumbent.
- In particular, PCC/Parish related items such as photocopiers, files etc. must be removed.
Setting the heating:
- Over the winter months October - March please leave the heating set continuously at 15oC.
- During extremely cold spells, and where possible, open the loft hatch to help protect water tanks in the roof space.
- If the house operates on oil, please alert the property office if the supply is low.
Cookers:
- Please contact the property department who will arrange for a suitably qualified contractor to disconnect your gas or electric cooker.
Telephone arrangements:
- If the parish wish to retain the telephone line, i.e., if it appears on parish stationery, notice boards, etc. then you will need to discuss this with the PCC / Church Wardens.
Finalising utilities:
- Notify gas and electricity providers of the final meter readings and let the property office have a copy of the readings and the providers’ details of who your suppliers are.
- Please also ask the utilities companies to address future correspondence in relation to the vicarage to: Diocesan Office, The Palace, Minster Precincts, Peterborough, PE1 1YB.
Redirecting the post:
- Occupants are responsible for arranging the re-direction of their mail with the Post Office, and ensuring the parish has also set up re-directions for any parish mail that they had sent to the vicarage on a regular basis.
- Should mail be delivered when the property is vacant it should be collected by a Church Warden or parish representative and, if appropriate, sent to the property office.
Keys:
- Please can you ensure that all keys (including spares held in the church safe, or by churchwardens, other church members or neighbours) are gathered in and accounted for, then given to the churchwardens.
- A set should be returned to the property office and any spares can be left in the top draw in the kitchen.
Contents:
- It probably goes without saying that contents including carpets, built-in appliances, log burners, wall lights etc. should not be removed from the property.
Securing the house:
- On the day of departure please ensure that all doors are locked and windows shut (please do not lock internal doors).
- Hand over external keys to the churchwarden together with the alarm code.
- No part of the property maybe used by the parish once it is vacant.
Once the house has been vacated:
Once the house is vacant then care of the house becomes one of the primary responsibilities of the churchwardens. Any house left empty is vulnerable to unwanted attention. Regular visits to the house by members of the parish and Church Wardens are essential in reducing the risks and in maintaining security.
There are a number of measures that should be adopted to reduce the risk of incidents occurring:
- Post: A build-up of post is an obvious sign that the house is empty, and should be collected every few days.
- Lights:It is advisable that the parish place a couple of lamps on timer switches in the house.
- Alarm: The alarm should be set at all times and the relevant people should have the code for this.
- Curtains: If there are any missing curtains we ask that the parish provide replacements so as to prevent the house looking empty. This is dependent on where the house is situated and which curtains may be missing.
- Garden: Arrangements should be made to cut the lawn between March and October at three weekly intervals. Reasonable costs will be met but only following prior consultation with the property office. Although the property office does have a selection of gardeners on their approved list it would be helpful if you know of any local gardeners or members of the PCC that would be willing to assist, and to forward their details on to us.
Interregnum Visit
The Property Department will be in touch to arrange a visit to inspect the house to note its condition and any necessary repairs or improvements which will be carried out at diocesan expense, and in readiness for a new appointment.