Suite 2405 Level 24 The Shard 31, St Thomas Street, SE1 9RY

What was argued and what the tribunal found

The appellant sought reductions to the rateable values of 50 serviced office suites on Levels 24 and 25 of The Shard, arguing for a lower price tone of £500/m² instead of the adopted £550/m² and disputing a 'Tower uplift'. The tribunal rejected the argument that south-facing suites should have a discount due to lack of River Thames views and upheld the appellant's analysis of the subject rent as less reliable than the valuation officer's approach following Bunyan v Acenden Limited. The tribunal allowed 48 appeals in part by granting a 5% end allowance for material change of circumstances (demolition and reconstruction of adjacent building) for the period 1 April 2017 to 31 January 2022, but dismissed the appeals for Suites 2511 and 2512 which had already benefited from such an allowance.

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

Grounds argued

• Valuation method
• Comparable assessments (tone)
• Change of circumstances

Change of circumstances

building works

Evidence

Rents, Settled assessments, Measurement survey, Photographs, Expert report

Cases cited

Lotus and Delta v Culverwell; Bunyan v Acenden Limited; Specialeyes Plc v Felgate

Hearing

5 March 2025

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