In view of the current position and Government guidance regarding COVID-19, TMCP has put measures in place to allow for remote working for the team. This will ensure compliance with Government directives, will minimise exposure to direct personal contact and protect the team and their families while allowing us to continue working.
We would ask that Managing Trustees and their instructed professionals ensure (wherever possible) that all correspondence, engrossment documents and schedules are sent via email rather than the post in the first instance. Scanned copies of signed application schedules are acceptable. The reason for this is with staff members working remotely, or in the event of the office needing to be closed, it will be more efficient to manage incoming correspondence via email and to arrange for sealing which will help to minimise the disruption caused to our normal working pattern and to Managing Trustees. Please see this News Hub article for further information.
During this period of remote working, staff will have access to our core IT systems and will continue to be contactable by telephone using the direct telephone numbers included at the foot of emails received from us. If you have any queries for our Finance or Legal sections, it would assist us greatly if these can be submitted by email or via our contact form and our staff will respond by email or telephone as soon as they are able, normally within one working day.
We will of course provide further updates as necessary and a ‘FAQ’ page is available in the resources linked to this page to address any common questions we are getting about how to deal with the current challenges presented by this pandemic. We will publish further information on anything that may impact you directly in due course. Please refer to the News Hub for any further announcements and sign up on the News Hub page for email alerts if you have not already done so.
Re-opening church buildings for pre-schools
Please also refer to TMCP’s updated COVID-19 FAQs (see new FAQ 3 which deals with re-opening pre-schools specifically) and refer to the Managing Trustees’ Responsibilities Re-Opening Pre-schools table for a summary of Managing Trustees’ responsibilities depending on whether the pre-school is run as a Church project or by a third party under a lease or licence. |
COVID-19 Guidance
The following resources are available on the TMCP website to assist Managing Trustees dealing with property matters relating to COVID-19:
- COVID-19 FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) focusing on the impact of COVID-19 to licences, non-residential leases and residential tenancies including guidance on re-opening for early years providers.
- COVID-19 and its effect upon Building Contracts and works to Methodist Churches Focus Note – FAQs and guidance relating to works.
- Rent Concessions for non-residential tenants – A background paper produced in conjunction with Blake Morgan LLP.
- Non-Residential Lease Concession Process Chart - Guidance on the process to be followed during the COVID-19 outbreak where Managing Trustees agree rent concession with their non-residential tenants.
- Non-Residential Lease Questionnaire (COVID-19) *
- AST Concession Process Chart - Guidance on the process to be followed during the COVID-19 outbreak where Managing Trustees agree rent concession with their residential tenants.
- Residential Tenancy Questionnaire (COVID-19) *
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Managing Trustees’ Responsibilities Re-Opening Pre-schools table - A summary of Managing Trustees’ responsibilities depending on whether the pre-school is run as a Church project or by a third party under a lease or licence.
* Where a document is marked with a star, it is available on the password protected part of TMCP's website for the exclusive use of Methodist Managing Trustees. Managing Trustees who do not already have the password, please contact TMCP.
Articles:
- Re-Opening Pre-Schools During COVID-19
- Non-Residential Leases – requests from Tenants to a rent concession
- Payment of rent: concerns raised by tenants during COVID-19 pandemic
- New COVID-19 Non-Residential Lease FAQs Available
- New COVID-19 Residential Tenancies FAQs Available
- COVID-19 and Residential Conveyancing Transactions
- COVID-19 – Advice from the ICO regarding Data Protection and other Government advice
- New COVID-19 FAQ Available
- "Test and Trace" Update (7/8/20)
- "Test and Trace" - A Further Update (24/9/20)
Useful links:
Guidance from the Methodist Church Connexional Team:
https://www.methodist.org.uk/about-us/coronavirus-guidance/ - General information
https://www.methodist.org.uk/for-churches/property/coronavirus-guidance-for-property/ - Coronavirus guidance specifically relating to property
Connexional Team’s Early Years Covid-19 Advice – for advice on re-opening buildings for pre-schools.
Re-Opening a Building Checklist (pdf) - Procedures and steps to be followed before re-opening church buildings
Covid-19 Risk Assessment (docx) – A template risk assessment produced by the Connexional Team, based on the HSE template.
Government links:
https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-the-charity-sector
World Health Organisation information:
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public
NHS information and guidance:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
If Managing Trustees have any specific queries then please contact TMCP for further assistance