Charity Property Matters Survey 2014

Nearly half of charities consider property the greatest risk to their long-term survival, according to a survey released by the Ethical Property Foundation.

Some 45 percent of charities featured in the Charity Property Matters survey 2014, said that property concerns pose a real threat to their future. Difficulties include price increases, obtaining finance to rent or purchase property and maintenance costs.

According to the survey, charities are feeling the pinch of the booming property market in the South East of England.

Half of charities surveyed felt their local authority was broadly supportive of the role of the voluntary sector, but 80 percent said that there was insufficient opportunity to be involved in strategic planning on provision of premises.

30 percent of charities surveyed reported an annual turnover of up to £100,000. A further 33 percent of respondents reported a turnover of between £100,000 and £500,000.

Difficulty in finding premises was a significant issue for 30 percent of respondents in the past three years, according to the survey, with cost hikes being a major factor.

According to the survey, charities are perceived as a risk by potential landlords and are often given shorter leases than private or public sector organisations. A knock-on effect of shorter leases is that charities are often excluded from the protection of the Landlord and Tenants Act, which in turn affects the charity’s ability to create longer term business plans, the report states.

The survey was commissioned in partnership with the Charity Commission and surveyed 282 charities.

To download the report visit http://ethicalproperty.org.uk/content.aspx?CategoryID=543&ArticleID=535.