Every house is inspected at five-yearly intervals. These inspections are carried out by an architect or surveyor appointed by the Diocesan Finance Committee. The report covers the condition of the external fabric of the house and the internal fittings - it does not included internal decorations, although it may comment on the state of these. The architect will draw up a specification for any necessary works and then obtain competitive tenders. The result of these tenders are reported to the relevant Archdeacon for their approval or recommendations. Once approval is granted, a copy of the schedule of works is sent to the occupier for information and a programme for the works is agreed.
Occupiers will be asked to complete a "Customer Satisfaction" questionnaire on completion of the work, and the Department is always interested to hear any comments regarding the contractors' and the architect/surveyors' work. Occupiers may also wish to recommend local contractors for inclusion on the tender list and the architect/surveyor should be notified of any such preference at the time the survey is carried out.
Any complaints or comments on the standard of workmanship should be notified to the surveyor or staff of the Department at the time the work is carried out, so that any problems can be resolved. (Please, also, see Section 10, concerning Standard of Workmanship.)
Any major structural problems should be notified to the Department as soon as they occur, as it may in some circumstances be advisable to bring forward a quinquennial. Similarly, in certain situations, a quinquennial may be deferred; for example, if an appointment is pending or further investigation of structural problems is required.
