Tribunals · City of London Corporation · 2023 rating list

1 Great St Helens, EC3A 6AP

Office and premises Decided 27 June 2025 CHG101171104 Gerald Eve LLP - CCA/Newmark Gerald Eve LLP

OutcomeAllowedThe tribunal reduced the rateable value.
Original RV£1,910,000
Ratepayer sought—
VO conceded first—
Tribunal decided£0from 1 Apr 2023

Figures are as stated in the decision; a dash means the document does not state that figure.

What was argued and what the tribunal found

The appellant (RAFER INVESTMENTS LTD) sought deletion of the office premises from the 2023 Rating List with an effective date of 1 April 2023, contending that strip-out works commenced in March 2023, rendering the property incapable of beneficial occupation. The Valuation Officer had agreed to deletion but with effect from 15 May 2023, based on the Gantt Chart showing that date. The tribunal, applying the three-stage approach from Newbigin v Monk and Jackson v Canary Wharf, found that the property was objectively not capable of beneficial occupation as at 1 April 2023, given the evidence of early contractor access, installation of hoarding, and strip-out work commenced in March 2023, as evidenced by photographs and site reports. The appeal was allowed, with deletion confirmed from 1 April 2023.

Summary generated from the decision text and checked against it. The appellant was RAFER INVESTMENTS LTD, represented.

Grounds argued

  • Validity of the proposal · decisive
Change of circumstances
reconstruction works
Evidence
Photographs, Expert report
Cases cited
Newbigin (VO) v Monk [2017] UKSC 14; Jackson (VO) v Canary Wharf Ltd [2019] UKUT (LC) 136; Gardiner & Theobald LLP v David Jackson (VO) [2018] UKUT 0253 (LC); De Groot Agency v Valuation Officer [VTE CHG100773739]; Richform Estates v Valuation Officer [VTE CHG100794754]
Hearing
29 May 2025

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