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You are here: BAILII >> Databases >> England and Wales Lands Tribunal >> Franks & Faith (t/a Ground Rent Securities) v Towse [2000] EWLands LRA_31_1999 (04 April 2000) URL: http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWLands/2000/LRA_31_1999.html Cite as: [2000] EWLands LRA_31_1999 |
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[2000] EWLands LRA_31_1999 (04 April 2000)
LRA/2/1999
LRA/31/1999
(Consolidated)
LANDS TRIBUNAL ACT 1949
LEASEHOLD ENFRANCHISEMENT - Premium payable for new extended lease of maisonette - Relevant valuation date - Value of existing lease - Value of extended lease - Tenant's surveyor expressing opinions as an advocate - Premium payable increased from £3,350.00 to £5,931.00
IN THE MATTER OF AN APPEAL FROM A DECISION OF THE LEASEHOLD VALUATION TRIBUNAL FOR THE LONDON RENT ASSESSMENT PANEL
BETWEEN DAVID SIMMONDS FRANKS
and
ANITA FAITH
T/A GROUND RENT SECURITIES Appellants
and
MS L J TOWSE Respondent
Re: 22 Henley Close
Isleworth
Middlesex TW7 5DQ
Before: N J Rose FRICS
Sitting in public at 48/49 Chancery Lane, London WC2A 1JR
on 8 February 2000
The following cases are referred to in this decision:
National Justice Compania Naviera SA v Prudential Assurance Co Ltd. ("the Ikrian Reefer") 1993 2 Lloyds' Law Reports, [1993] 2 EGLR 183
Delaforce v Evans and Evans 22 P&CR 770
T C Dutton, instructed by Glovers, Chartered Surveyors, of Harrow, for the Appellants
Mr C A Naylor FRICS, FSVA, retired chartered surveyor, for the Respondent
DECISION OF THE LANDS TRIBUNAL
The Facts
Issues
(1) Whether the relevant valuation date is (as determined by the LVT) 14 September 1998, the date of the LVT hearing or 20 May 1997, the date of the Appellants' counter-notice.
(2) The value of the Respondent's existing interest at both dates.
(3) The value of the new extended lease at both dates.
Mr Glover | Mr Naylor | LVT | |
20 May 1997 |
£ | £ | £ |
Existing Lease Extended Lease 14 September 1998 Existing Lease Extended Lease |
51,000 61,000 66,000 80,000 |
58,250 63,450 66,450 72,125 |
N/A N/A 66,450 73,000 |
The valuation date
"the date when all of the terms of acquisition (apart from those relating to the premium and any other amounts payable by virtue of this Schedule in connection with the grant of the new lease) have been determined either by agreement or by a leasehold valuation tribunal under this Chapter."
"forthwith to insure and at all times during the said term to keep insured the demised premises ... in the General Accident Fire & Life Assurance Corporation Limited or such other insurance company as may be nominated by the lessor through the agency of Messieurs (sic) Ellsworth Jones & Co, of 37 Bury Street, St James's, London SW1 or such other agency as the lessor may from time to time require in a sum equal to the full value thereof in the joint names of the lessor and the lessees..."
"... since it is pretty clear that your clients are not interested in settling the negotiations on the basis of my offer of November 10 through Messrs Hausmann Popeck, I intend to ask the LVT to exclude from the new lease any involvement by the landlords. Since the new lease will be at a peppercorn ground rent for a period of around 140 to 150 years, it cannot be said that the lessor will have any valuable interest and it would seem unreasonable that the lessee's freedom of choice of company should be fettered by the lessors.
It may be, in the end, that the continuance of block cover may be the (sic) for the best, but I see no reason to maintain compulsion.
I understand that the LVT has now advised your clients that the reference has been submitted."
The valuation evidence
(1) Expert evidence presented to the court should be, and should be seen to be, the independent product of the expert uninfluenced as to form or content by the exigencies of litigation ...
(2) An expert witness should provide independent assistance to the court by way of objective unbiased opinion in relation to matters within his expertise ... An expert witness in the High Court should never assume the role of an advocate."
Existing lease value
Extended lease value
26. Finally, he produced a summary of 17 decisions of leasehold valuation tribunals in respect of lease extensions on flats in various locations across Greater London. He conceded, however, that this summary contained few decisions in respect of leases of less than 60 years in the outer suburbs.
27. In my opinion, Mr Glover has done his best to give objective evidence about a valuation where truly comparable transactions are hard to find. Nevertheless, I have come to the conclusion that his valuation of the extended lease is a little full, for two reasons. Firstly, when adjusting certain transactions for differences in specification, I think he has slightly under-estimated the value of certain improvements. In particular, he deducted £5,000 from the sale price of 1 College Road to reflect the fact that, unlike the appeal property, it had a garage. He agreed, however, that it might well be difficult to purchase a garage in the area for only £5,000 and I consider that he has under-estimated the effect of the garage on the price realised for this comparable. Secondly, although the 1993 Act provides for a peppercorn to be paid throughout the term of the new lease, the settlements negotiated by Mr Glover provided for an increased ground rent to be paid. As indicated earlier in this decision, I put it to Mr Glover that this suggested that the tenants were in a relatively weak bargaining position, which resulted in them paying more than they were legally required to do ("the Delaforce Effect"). Mr Glover, very fairly, indicated that he did not necessarily disagree with this proposition. He agreed that the valuation of the existing lease in the 1993 Act world was not easy, but he suggested that there was not the same difficulty in establishing the value of the extended lease.
28. Doing the best I can with the evidence, I find that the value of the new extended lease as at 14 September 1998 was £78,000. The appeal is therefore allowed and the cross-appeal is dismissed. The premium payable by the Respondent to the Appellants for the grant of the new extended lease in the appeal property under the terms of section 48 of the 1993 Act is £5,931.00, as calculated in Appendix 5.
29. I have also considered the two disputed values of the appeal property on the assumption that I am wrong in holding that the valuation date is 14 September 1998. If the correct valuation date is 20 May 1997, my valuation would have been £4,817.50, as calculated in Appendix 6.
30. What I have said so far concludes my determination of the substantive issues in this case. It will take effect as a decision when the question of costs is decided and at that point, but not before, the provisions relating to the right of appeal in section 3(4) of the Lands Tribunal Act 1949 and Order 61 rule 1(1) of the Civil Procedure Rules will come into operation. The parties are invited to make submissions as to the costs of this appeal and a letter accompanying this decision sets out the procedure for submissions in writing.
Dated:
(Signed) N J Rose
Addendum on Costs
"In all cases the burden of proof is on the appellant. If the Lands Tribunal is satisfied on such evidence as may be before it that the decision of the LVT is wrong, it must allow the appeal; otherwise it must dismiss the appeal... The Lands Tribunal will treat the appeal as a fresh hearing of the issues to which the application to the LVT gives rise, except where leave has been granted on conditions that limit the appellant to particular grounds. For this reason, it will often not be helpful for parties to orientate their evidence and arguments to a review of the reasons set out in the LVT's decision. Similarly it will be unlikely to be necessary in most cases to refer to evidence that was given in the LVT hearing, and to do so is likely to extend the length of hearing before the Lands Tribunal and may obscure the issues."
"(a) the conduct of all the parties, including in particular -
(i) conduct before, as well as during, the proceedings; and
(ii) the efforts made, if any, before and during the proceedings in order to try
to resolve the dispute;
(b) the amount or value of any money or property involved ...
(e) the skill, effort, specialised knowledge and responsibility involved."
Dated:
(Signed) N J Rose
APPENDIX 1
MR GLOVER'S VALUATION OF 22 HENLEY CLOSE, ISLEWORTH
AS AT 20 MAY 1997
Diminution in value of landlord's interest in accordance with Paragraph 3
This is the difference between the landlord's interest in the tenant's flat prior to the grant of a new lease and the value of his interest once the new lease is granted.
Extinguishment of ground rent
Ground Rent: | £10.50 pa | ||
YP 57 years @ 13%: | 7.68 | £80.00 | |
Flat Value: |
£61,000 |
||
PV of £1 in 57 years at 13%: | 0.000943 | £57.50 | £137.50 |
Landlord's share of the marriage value
This is determined in accordance with Paragraph 4:
New Lease value in accordance with Paragraph 4b: £61,000
Old lease value in accordance with Paragraph 4a: £51,000
Aggregate of landlord's and tenant's interest after
the new lease is created: £61,000.00
Less aggregate of landlord's and tenant's interest
prior to creation of new lease: £51,137.50
Marriage value: £ 9,862.50
50% share of marriage value: £4,931.25
£5,068.75
APPENDIX 2
MR GLOVER'S VALUATION OF 22 HENLEY CLOSE, ISLEWORTH
AS AT 14 SEPTEMBER 1998
Diminution in value of landlord's interest in accordance with Paragraph 3
This is the difference between the landlord's interest in the tenant's flat prior to the grant of a new lease and the value of his interest once the new lease is granted.
Extinguishment of ground rent
Ground Rent: | £10.50 pa | ||
YP 56 years @ 13%: | 7.68 | £80.00 | |
Flat Value: |
£80,000 |
||
PV of £1 in 56 years at 13%: | 0.0010656 | £85.00 | £165.00 |
Landlord's share of the marriage value
This is determined in accordance with Paragraph 4:
New Lease value in accordance with Paragraph 4b: £80,000
Old lease value in accordance with Paragraph 4a: £66,000
Aggregate of landlord's and tenant's interest after
the new lease is created: £80,000
Less aggregate of landlord's and tenant's interest
prior to creation of new lease: £66,165
Marriage value: £13,835
50% share of marriage value: £6,917.50
£7,082.50
APPENDIX 3
MR NAYLOR'S VALUATION OF 22 HENLEY CLOSE, ISLEWORTH
AS AT 20 MAY 1997
(i) Paragraph 2(a) Diminution in value of the landlord's interest as determined in accordance with para 3:-
Landlord's interest prior to new lease
Ground Rent 10.50
YP 57½ @ 13% 7.685 81
Reversion to unencumbered
freehold value 58250
PV 57½ years @ 13% 0.0008888 52
Landlord's interest once new NIL 133
lease is granted
(ii) Paragraph 2(b) Landlord's share of marriage
value as determined in accordance with para 4:-
(a) The aggregate of the value of:-
Tenant's interest under the new
lease with a peppercorn rent 63450
Landlord's reversionary interest NIL 63450
(b) Less the aggregate of the value
of the tenant's existing interest 58250
Landlords' interest prior to
grant of the new lease 133 58383
Gain on marriage 5067
Landlords' share of marriage value 50% 2534
(iii) Paragraph 2c any compensation payable under paragraph 5 NIL
Premium payable by tenant 2,667
Say 2,675
APPENDIX 4
MR NAYLOR'S VALUATION OF 22 HENLEY CLOSE, ISLEWORTH
AS AT 14 SEPTEMBER 1998
(i) Paragraph 2(a) Diminution in value of the landlord's interest as determined in accordance with para 3:-
Landlord's interest prior to new lease
Ground Rent 10.50
YP 56¼ @ 13% 7.684 81
Reversion to unencumbered
freehold value 72125
PV 56¼ years @ 13% 0.001035 75
Landlord's interest once new NIL 156
lease is granted
(ii) Paragraph 2(b) Landlord's share of marriage value as determined in accordance with para 4:-
(a) The aggregate of the value of:-
Tenant's interest under the new
lease with a peppercorn rent 72125
Landlord's reversionary interest NIL 72125
(b) Less the aggregate of the value
of the tenant's existing interest 66450
Landlords' interest prior to
grant of the new lease 156 66,606
Gain on marriage 5519
Landlords' share of marriage value 50% 2760
(iii) Paragraph 2c any compensation payable under paragraph 5 NIL
Premium payable by tenant 2,916
Say 2,900
Note: This valuation has been prepared by the Lands Tribunal on the basis of Mr Naylor's evidence.
APPENDIX 5
22 HENLEY CLOSE, ISLEWORTH, MIDDX
DETERMINATION OF VALUE BY THE LANDS TRIBUNAL
Diminution in value of landlords' interest
Extinguishment of ground rent
Ground rent: £ 10.50 pa
YP 56¼ years @ 13% 7.68 £81.00
New lease value: £ 78,000
PV £1 in 56¼ years @ 13% 0.001035 £81.00 £162.00
Landlords' share of marriage value
New lease value: £78,000
Existing lease value: £66,300
Aggregate of landlords' and tenant's interests
after new lease created £78,000
Less aggregate of landlords' and tenant's
interests prior to creation of new lease £66,462
Marriage value: £11,538
Landlord's 50% share of marriage value £5,769.00
£5,931.00
APPENDIX 6
22 HENLEY CLOSE, ISLEWORTH, MIDDX
ALTERNATIVE DETERMINATION OF VALUE BY THE LANDS TRIBUNAL
Diminution in value of landlords' interest
Extinguishment of ground rent
Ground rent: £ 10.50 pa
YP 57½ years @ 13% 7.68 £81.00
New lease value: £ 61,000
PV £1 in 57½ years @ 13% 0.000888 £54.00 £ 135.00
Landlords' share of marriage value
New lease value: £61,000
Existing lease value: £51,500
Aggregate of landlords' and tenant's interests
after new lease created £61,000
Less aggregate of landlords' and tenant's
interests prior to creation of new lease £51,635
Marriage value: £ 9,365
Landlord's 50% share of marriage value £4,682.50
£4,817.50