By Phone: Monday - Friday from 9.30 -1.00. Call 0845 847 4253 (0845 VISIBLE) Note calls are charged at local rate (approximately 3-5p perminute).
Outside of these hours calls will be logged, a contact number (must be landline) will be taken and the caller will receive a call-back the following morning. This service is for relatively short enquiries and we try to allocate a maximum of 15 minutes to each call. Complex calls requiring more time than this are likely to be referred to our Consultancy Service.
By Email: If you wish to submit your query electronically, please email advice@communitymatters.org.uk or click here to complete a request form. Note that these are dealt with by our team of Advice Line Workers within the same time frame as the phone calls.
By Post: Written requests can be submitted at any time to be dealt with and a response will be made within 10 working days.
Users of our Advice Services in whatever format should be aware that all requests are logged for monitoring purposes.
Legal Surgeries: We offer free legal surgeries on a monthly basis (usualy the second wednesday of the month) at our London office. Solicitors are on hand to give specialist advice to community organisations on Employment law, Leases, Incorporation (as a company), Contracts and Intellectual Property (trade marks). This service is delivered in conjunction with our partner, LawWorks and operates by a pre-booked 30 – 45 minute one to one sessions. We ask that any available paperwork on the case be sent to Community Matters in advance so that we can ensure it goes to the appropriate solicitor.
To book a place call Liz Cleverly on 020 7837 7887 or e-mail liz.cleverly@communitymatters.org.uk
Quote from a Hampshire based Community Association:
"I used Community Matters' Free Legal Clinic for advice on my Association's lease from our landlord. We are a new organisation, and in the process of negotiating the lease terms.
I can't praise the clinic enough. For the price of a cheap day return rail ticket, I had thirty minutes of top quality legal advice. The lawyer had done his homework before hand and carefully explained the weaknesses in the lease - and afterwards sent me a copy of his written comments."
Our advice services can answer questions on all aspects of managing a charity, its premises, acitivities, trading acitivities and social and contractual relationships. Below are just a few of the many topics we cover:
- Employment matters
- Leases
- Governing documents (constitutions), etc.
- Committee procedures
- Management of the community building
- Health & Safety
- Financial Management
Please note that some services such as detailed examination of leases and constitutions are only available to members. Click here for membership details.
