[2024] UKUT 020 (LC)

The authority’s ‘initial’ valuation of the property was £45,000, prepared by a council officer, Ms Margaret Rutherford. She described the condition of the property in similar terms to Mr Nicholl, being generally dilapidated. In repair, she would put the value at £90,000.

Like Mr Nicholls, Ms Rutherford relied on the sales of numbers 38 Spenser Street at £88,000 in October 2021, and 32 Spenser Street at £95,000 (off an asking price of £90,000) in May 2022. She noted both properties being in excellent condition.

She also relied upon the sale of number 40 Spenser Street in February 2022 at £86,999. Again, the property’s condition was excellent. All three of her comparable properties were two-bedroomed houses.

Ms Rutherford’s valuation comprised a single page ‘property services inspection sheet’ which after a commentary had a text box for ‘initial valuation’, and an adjacent box for ‘agreed valuation’, suggesting that there was some room for manoeuvre in her figure. This proved to be the case as the parties subsequently agreed a value of £60,000.