Tribunals · Woking Borough Council · 2017 rating list

3rd Flr Hollywood House, Church Street East, GU21 6HA

Offices and premises Decided 4 August 2021 CHG100066431 Altus Group - Oakland - Manchester

OutcomeAllowed in partThe tribunal reduced the rateable value, but by less than the ratepayer sought.
Original RV£1,110,000£230/m²
Ratepayer sought£850,000
VO conceded first—
Tribunal decided£875,500£180/m²

Figures are as stated in the decision; a dash means the document does not state that figure. This decision covers 2 properties; the figures shown are for the first listed.

What was argued and what the tribunal found

Two test cases on fit out costs and their treatment in rateable value. Ascot House: the Valuation Officer significantly overvalued fit out costs which, when corrected to £723,919 and properly annualised, produced a rent of £847,947 (£179.72/m²). Adjusted to £180/m² and checked against comparables, the tribunal allowed the appeal and set RV at £875,500. Hollywood House: the Appellant failed to provide a detailed breakdown of the £330,000 fit out costs claimed, placing the burden on them; the tribunal took the full amount as fit out adjustment but found the resulting rent (£204.92/m²) closely matched the list entry at £210/m² which was not unreasonable, so dismissed the appeal.

Summary generated from the decision text and checked against it. The appellant was Acenden Ltd, represented.

Grounds argued

  • Rental evidence
  • Comparable assessments (tone)
  • Valuation method
Evidence
Rents, Settled assessments, Earlier tribunal decisions, Expert report
Cases cited
Lotus and Delta v Culverwell; Dorothy Perkins Retail Ltd v Casey; Berry v Iceland Foods Ltd; Butterworth Laboratories Ltd & Berks & Bucks FA Ltd v Smale; Porter v Trustees of Gladman Sipps; Irving Brown and Daughter v Smith; Gardiner & Theobald LLP v Jackson
Hearing
28 July 2021

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