Janet Bignell QC and Jamie Sutherland explain the court’s approach to negligence claims against valuation surveyors
In two recent High Court decisions, Barclays Bank PLC v Christie Owen & Davies Limited (t/a Christie & Co) and Barclays Bank PLC v TBS & V Limited, the bank respectively succeeded and failed in claims against surveyors for allegedly negligent property valuations.
Despite the different results, the cases are consistent in demonstrating the approach which the court will take to such claims, forming its own view as to the correct valuation and then considering the possibility of negligence only if the defendant’s valuation falls outside an appropriate margin of error.
In Christie Owen, the bank’s customer own...
