The Quinquennial Inspection
All Church of England churches are legally required to be inspected every five years. This so-called Quinquennial Inspection is conducted by an appointed architect or surveyor who produces a report listing the results of the inspection and the recommendations for repair and maintenance measures.
Copies of the report are sent to the secretary of the Diocesan Advisory Committee (DAC), the archdeacon, the incumbent and the secretary of the Parochial Church Council (PCC). It is the responsibility of the incumbent and the PCC to act upon the architect's recommendations.
The Quinquennial Inspection will cover the structure of the church, its exterior and interior, any movable articles of outstanding architectural, artistic, historical or archaeological value, any ruin in the churchyard which has been designated as being of outstanding value and any tree in the churchyard which is subject to a tree preservation order. A report will contain observations and recommendations for these items and their parts, as well as a table of priority work, grouped together according to their urgency. This allows the PCC to plan ahead and make arrangements for the funding. However, it is important to note that this list is not a specification for the works. Nor is the estimated cost for the work the real one which requires more detailed costing, either through tendering or by a quantity surveyor.
All work recommended in the report will require a faculty unless they are on the diocesan list of De Minimis works. The Quinquennial Inspection should be conducted regularly every five years and grant applications often ask for the existence of a report not older than five years. PCC members need to be aware that unforeseen damage may develop between inspections and need to alert the inspecting architect if they have identified or suspect damage.
Planning the Repairs
After receiving and reading the report the PCC should arrange a meeting and invite the inspecting architect. He will be able to explain the report and its implications. He can also suggest what work (if any) could be executed by volunteers or building contractors and which areas require an additional expert report, such as inaccessible spires, specialist objects such as stained glass, structural movement or heating systems.
It may be useful to appoint a fabric officer or committee who will, in close consultation with the PCC, take a lead in implementing the report's recommendations, oversee the faculty process, seek funding in co-operation with the church treasurer, assist the churchwardens in their annual inspection and report and implement a routine maintenance programme.
You can find further guidance in How to Implement the Repairs.
November 2007
Further Information
A Guide to Church Inspection and Repair (Church House Publishing, 2nd edition 2001)
