What this guide covers

This guide is for parish priests, parish secretaries and parish volunteers who need to report a fault or arrange a repair on a building owned by the Shrewsbury Roman Catholic Diocesan Trust, registered charity number 234025. It applies to churches, presbyteries, halls, schools where the trust is the legal owner, and any other parish-owned property.

Routine repairs are handled at parish level. Reportable repairs go through the Property Office at the Curial Office in Prenton. Urgent matters are escalated immediately. Knowing which is which saves time and money.

Routine versus reportable

The line between the two depends on cost and impact, not on type of work alone. As a working rule:

• Routine: small jobs that the parish can handle from its own reserves, do not affect fabric or services, and can be completed in days. Examples: replacing a tap washer, fixing a slipped roof tile, repairing a single broken window pane, repainting an interior wall.
• Reportable: works that affect fabric, services or the value of the building, or that require contractors approved by the diocese, or that exceed a defined cost threshold. Examples: re-roofing a section, boiler repair or replacement, electrical work beyond a single fitting, plumbing affecting more than one room, window frame replacement, damp treatment, masonry repointing.
• Urgent: anything posing a risk to people, valuables or the continued use of the building. Examples: water ingress threatening services or sacred art, gas leak, suspected structural failure, complete loss of heating in winter, theft or break-in.

If you are unsure, treat the matter as reportable and ring the Curial Office on 0151 652 9855.

The steps for a routine repair

1. Log the issue in the parish maintenance log with date, location, description, and photograph. Every parish should keep a maintenance log. If yours does not, start one today.
2. Get a quote from a competent local tradesperson. For very small jobs, one quote is acceptable. For anything over a hundred pounds, get two.
3. Approve the work with the parish priest. The Parish Finance Committee should be aware of the spend.
4. Pay from parish funds, retain the invoice and update the maintenance log when the work is complete.

The steps for a reportable repair

1. Log the issue with date, location, description, and at least one photograph. A short video is often more useful than a written description for water and structural issues.
2. Notify the Property Office by emailing info@dioceseofshrewsbury.org with the photographs attached. Use the subject line "Property Repair: [parish name] - [brief description]."
3. Wait for the Property Office to advise. The team will tell you whether to obtain quotes locally, use a diocesan-approved contractor, or wait for a diocesan-led inspection. Do not commission contractors for reportable works without that advice.
4. Obtain quotes as instructed. For meaningful spend, three quotes is the standard.
5. Submit the quotes for written approval. The Property Office routes the request to the trustees where required. Keep all correspondence.
6. Begin work after written approval. Keep invoices, building control sign-off where relevant, and any guarantees or warranties. Send copies to the Property Office.
7. Update the parish maintenance log when the work is complete and file the paperwork.

The steps for an urgent matter

1. Make the building safe. If anyone is at risk, evacuate. If gas is suspected, ring the National Gas Emergency line on 0800 111 999. If there is a fire, ring 999.
2. Stop further damage if you can do so safely. Turn off water at the stopcock. Catch leaks with buckets and tarpaulin. Move sacred art and registers away from water.
3. Ring the Curial Office on 0151 652 9855 in office hours. Out of hours, leave a voicemail and email info@dioceseofshrewsbury.org with photos and a clear description.
4. Engage an emergency contractor if instructed by the Property Office, or to make safe pending the diocese's response. Keep all receipts.
5. Notify the parish insurance contact. Most parish buildings are insured under the diocesan policy. Insurance claims are handled centrally through the Curial Office.
6. Write a short incident note within twenty-four hours, while the detail is fresh.

The parish maintenance log

Every parish should keep a single maintenance log covering its buildings. The log should record:

• Date and description of every fault, repair or inspection.
• Contractor name, contact and invoice number.
• Cost and source of funds.
• Photographs before, during (where relevant) and after.
• Any warranties, certifications and the renewal dates of statutory inspections (gas safety, electrical, lifts, fire safety).

The log informs the Quinquennial Inspection. It also protects the parish if questions are asked years later.

Three repairs that catch parishes out

• Boilers: replacement is reportable, not routine. Capacity, flue, building consent and warranty all matter.
• Slipped tiles: a single tile is routine. A pattern of slipping tiles is a sign of larger roof failure and is reportable.
• Damp: localised damp is sometimes a symptom rather than a cause. A second opinion before treatment saves money.

Key contacts

• Curial Office: info@dioceseofshrewsbury.org, 0151 652 9855.
• Address: 2 Park Road South, Prenton, Wirral CH43 4UX.
• National Gas Emergency: 0800 111 999.
• Emergencies (people at risk): 999.

Buildings need attention. The trustees expect the parish to manage routine work and to escalate the rest. Do that and the system works.