Chancel matters
Chancel matters are matters relating to the church usually from the medieval period, in particular chancel repair liability, to which required landowners (of sold church properties) to fund repairs to churches. It is common practice in certain circumstances for a chancel search to be carried out by a surveyor to establish what the chancel matters are and if a chancel repair liability is in place.
The RICS professional standard: Residential retrofit standard. 1st edition, March 2024. Effective from 31 October 2024 describes chancel matters as 'historic financial liability imposed on landowners to fund repairs to medieval churches. Although few homeowners have to pay this charge, it can affect the cost of ownership of property.'
For more detailed further information see conservation wiki article chancel repair liability.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
IHBC NewsBlog
Latest IHBC Issue of Context features Roofing
Articles range from slate to pitched roofs, and carbon impact to solar generation to roofscapes.
Three reasons not to demolish Edinburgh’s Argyle House
Should 'Edinburgh's ugliest building' be saved?
IHBC’s 2025 Parliamentary Briefing...from Crafts in Crisis to Rubbish Retrofit
IHBC launches research-led ‘5 Commitments to Help Heritage Skills in Conservation’
How RDSAP 10.2 impacts EPC assessments in traditional buildings
Energy performance certificates (EPCs) tell us how energy efficient our buildings are, but the way these certificates are generated has changed.
700-year-old church tower suspended 45ft
The London church is part of a 'never seen before feat of engineering'.
The historic Old War Office (OWO) has undergone a remarkable transformation
The Grade II* listed neo-Baroque landmark in central London is an example of adaptive reuse in architecture, where heritage meets modern sophistication.
West Midlands Heritage Careers Fair 2025
Join the West Midlands Historic Buildings Trust on 13 October 2025, from 10.00am.
Former carpark and shopping centre to be transformed into new homes
Transformation to be a UK first.
Canada is losing its churches…
Can communities afford to let that happen?
131 derelict buildings recorded in Dublin city
It has increased 80% in the past four years.