The almshouse team currently provides services to almshouse charities of varying size. Depending upon the individual requirements of the almshouse trustees, full management or a selection of discrete services can be provided.

Accounting and bookkeeping, including WMC collection, management accounts and budgeting can also be provided by our subsidiary company, Trust Accounting.

Our staff have considerable experience and expertise to support trustees in all aspects of almshouse management. Typically, but not always, a Clerk oversees the provision of all services and is supported by an Administrator. A warden can be provided along with a cleaner and/or gardener for communal areas. We are here to help trustees to discharge their duty of care in whatever way best suits them and our services can be tailored accordingly.

We recognise that no two almshouse charities are the same. Individual benefactors are behind each governing document and the charity may be incorporated, unincorporated, and a registered social landlord. There may be a corporate trustee or individual trustees. We recognise that different approaches are needed, different regulators involved and that charity comes in many shapes and sizes.

Our aim is to support trustees in whatever way we can and we pride ourselves on forming long-lasting working relationships based on trust and respect.

In providing support to trustees regarding governance and compliance, we take account of whether the charity is incorporated, unincorporated and whether it is a registered provider. We aim to provide relevant and proportionate responses and assistance.

Services include:

Clerking Trustee support with meetings (agendas, board packs, minutes, matters arising), secure messaging (for GDPR purposes).
Regulatory submissions Charity Commission submissions, updating Charity Commission records, NROSH (for registered providers). See Financial Management for Companies House.
Advice and guidance Policies, procedures, best practice including the Charities Code of Governance and monitoring new practices and regulations.
Setting charges Assistance to the trustees in setting WMC and service charges (RSL or non-RSL).
Grant making
 Grant making and ‘pension’ services are provided where trustees also engage in such activities.

We work within approved delegated authority levels set by trustees.

Written reports on property management are made to trustees at regular intervals, as agreed.

Services include:

Responsive Repairs 24/7 A telephone number is provided for residents to report day-to-day faults; calls are answered by a named individual unless made to the out-of-hours number. Calls are logged, contractors are allocated, reports made, invoices processed.
Cyclical servicing and maintenance Contractors are allocated, reports made and invoices processed to an approved schedule of work. Three quotes may be sought depending on the trustee-approved procedure.
Void turnaround Oversight of a timely redecoration or refurbishment of a vacant unit to an agreed specification and trustee-approved procedure.
Quinquennial Surveys Drafting the specification, seeking quotes from suitably qualified professionals, reporting to trustees, assistance with budgeting within a programme of works. Arranging access to properties.
Programmed Works Assistance with preparation, budgeting (see management accounting service), oversight of the programme on behalf of the trustees, assistance with appointing professional contract management where necessary.
Health & Safety checks Scheduling checks, organising professionals where necessary for risk assessments, undertaking routine checks (smoke detectors etc), general awareness of risk mitigation in day-to-day activities.

Commercial Property management

In addition to almshouse management, we have experience in commercial property management for charities. This includes rent collection and ensuring tenants comply with lease obligations.

Repairs are actioned in the same way as the almshouses.

Non-recurring actions such as dilapidation claims, lease renewal negotiations, letting service, negotiation of new leases and actions arising from tenant queries can be provided.

We understand the unique status of almshouse residents and the fine line between independent living and the need for an almshouse trustee to discharge their duty of care under the Charity Act and the Care Act. Supporting a resident to access services within social care or the wider community whilst respecting their privacy and independence is essential.

We hold the wellbeing of residents with great care and respect.

Services include:

Allocations Advertising, processing, arranging interviews, letters of appointment (Licences), contact with unsuccessful applicants, maintaining an eligibility list and welcoming new residents.
Engagement Resident consultation, event planning, warden services, assistance with disputes, arranging access to properties.
Signposting Knowledge of (and liaison with) local services, social service frameworks, local authority housing benefit departments.
Resident visits Weekly or monthly depending upon the trustees’ requirements. This can double-up as a smoke detector check and property management check (depending on the level of services required).
Resident contact A telephone number and email for all residents with a named individual answering the call-in office hours. For property management an out-of-hours number.
General welfare Contact with family/Next of Kin, social services, care agencies, as necessary.
Safeguarding Policy and procedures, knowledge of “duty of care”.

We provide specialist and comprehensive accounting services through our subsidiary company, Trust Accounting. A dedicated bookkeeper and administrator can be assigned to each client. They are located within our Head Office and work closely with the almshouse team. This means that quarterly Management Accounts, budgeting and Annual Report and Accounts have had consistent input from each expert area and allows for seamless reporting to the client.

Services include:

Annual Return Submitting to the Charity Commission.
Annual Report and Accounts Drafting the annual report and compiling the financial statements, liaising with the auditor.
Management Accounts Submitting quarterly reports to the trustees.
Managing the charity’s bank account Processing invoices, payments, cashbook, implementation of financial controls, collection of WMC and service charges, updating bank mandates.
Investment Manager Liaison with the investment manager.
Companies House Annual submissions, if required.

 

“The Trust Partnership has for some years now afforded a supremely professional and supportive service to West Hackney Parochial Charity and West Hackney Almshouse Charity. They have helped us to embrace and adopt the principles of good governance where they might, in the past, have been lacking. They ensure that we operate a transparent grant-making process and that our meetings are run in an efficient, compliant and well-informed manner. Perhaps most important of all, they are always at the end of the telephone with expert help and advice and are reassuringly proactive in ensuring that, as charities, we are well run. I commend the Trust Partnership to you unreservedly.”

The Reverend Niall Weir, Rector of St Paul’s, West Hackney

“I am very reassured about all that you and your great team have done. On Monday, if I’m honest, GDPR felt like a barrier to doing the right thing. But having talked with you and my lawyer congregation-member and having heard in detail about all the systems you have in place, I felt completely different. Best wishes to all and thank you to everyone at TTP”

The Revd Andrew Wilson, Trustee Hackney Parish Almshouses Charity.

The Trust Partnership have been fantastic to work with…… The service, guidance and people at The Trust Partnership are all wonderful, I would thoroughly recommend people work with them.

Irfan Malik, Chairman of Hackney Joint Estate Charity.

“As Chairman, I have found TTP to be experienced, knowledgeable and skilful in all aspects of their work.  They are attentive and responsive and provide the trustees with suggestions and solutions on day to day issues as well as the one-off matters arising.  They are…. incredibly helpful and proactive with a quick response time and a very approachable, caring manner.  We know they are ably supported by an administrative team, who we have also got to know well.

I recommend The Trust Partnership to you as experts in their field ….. they are more than capable of providing a top quality personalised service.  I can also recommend their ethics and values as an organisation wishing to see success for all of us in the charitable sector”

Jonathan Jarrett, Chairman Hackney Parish Almshouses Charity.

 

Our pricing philosophy:

We agree estimates of time based on each client’s activities and, depending on the client’s requirements, can offer fixed-price contracts, fee ceilings, or charge for time in five-minute increments so that all of our efficiencies are passed on as savings.

Each of our team members works with more than one client, taking responsibility for a specific area of expertise. Each role is charged out at an hourly rate based on the level of skill, responsibility and experience required. Tasks are delegated appropriately to ensure that the majority of day-to-day activities are undertaken by our experienced Administrators rather than Clerks.

For a discreet discussion on indicative costs for your almshouse, please contact Elizabeth Fathi