The Government has defined the third sector as ‘non-governmental organisations that are value-driven and which principally reinvest their surpluses to further social, environmental or cultural objectives.’
The voluntary community organisations, charities and social enterprises that embody the sector often own or occupy specialist properties. Heritage assets, museums and art galleries, churches and other religious properties, charity-run community assets including schools, care homes and hospitals are just some examples of those which fall outside of the ‘mainstream’ property sectors.
Unlike many of our competitors, we excel in these sectors. They require an understanding and empathy that contrasts with the requirements of the private and public sectors. They also require specific technical knowledge that extends, for instance, to an understanding of charitable purposes and the intricacies of charity law as well as requirements relating to planning potential and listed buildings where heritage assets are involved.
We provide advice to:
- Religious orders – such as the Sisters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul, involving a full range of property-related advice including strategic estate planning, development, acquisitions and disposals, landlord and tenant, building maintenance etc.
- Museums and art galleries – such as the Natural History Museum, where we have provided valuation and agency advice and the National Maritime Museum where we have provided a range of advice described in the featured case study.
- Care home charities – such as Leonard Cheshire, where we have provided valuation, agency, estate strategy and planning advice to review the fitness for purpose of their properties and potential to better serve the needs of their users.
- Charities – such as the Architects Benevolent Society who needed advice on maximising the value of their sheltered housing estate in Surrey whilst providing for the needs of their existing tenants.
- Foundations – such as the Greenwich Foundation for the Old Royal Naval College, where we have provided a full range of property advice, as described in the featured case study.
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