Tribunals · Tunbridge Wells Borough Council · 2017 rating list

Montagus Sandwich Bar, Royal Victoria Place, TN1 2SP

Offices and premises Decided 24 May 2022 CHG100429719 Altus Group - Oakland - Manchester

OutcomeDismissedThe appeal failed and the rateable value was left unchanged.

Original RV£145,000

Ratepayer sought—

VO conceded first—

Tribunal decided—from 23 Mar 2020

Figures are as stated in the decision; a dash means the document does not state that figure. This decision covers 26 properties; the figures shown are for the first listed.

What was argued and what the tribunal found

The appellants proposed a 65% abatement to the RV of their office property to reflect the material change of circumstances caused by Covid-19 and Government measures in response to it, effective from 23 March 2020. The tribunal dismissed the appeal on the preliminary legal point, finding that section 1(4) of the Rating (Coronavirus) and Directors Disqualification (Dissolved Companies) Act 2021 clearly prohibited any reduction in rateable value where the grounds and evidence relied upon are either directly or indirectly attributable to coronavirus, and that the exceptions in section 1(5) did not apply to these appeals.

Summary generated from the decision text and checked against it. The appellant was Vistra International Expansion Ltd and others, represented.

Grounds argued

Change of circumstances · decisive

Change of circumstances: covid
Evidence: Expert report
Cases cited: Clement v Addis Ltd; Chilton-Merryweather v Hunt; Pavlou (Valuation Officer); Financial Conduct Authority v Arch and others; John Burvill and Gareth David Jones (Valuation Officer); Kendrick (Valuation Officer)
Hearing: 18 May 2022

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The tribunal’s decision in full

Download the PDF · Find it on valuationtribunal.gov.uk