Scottish court throws out rates appeal

Published on 07/09/2012 00:00

Tenants in two Scottish shopping centres have been left “severely disappointed” after an appeal court overturned a decision to charge them cheaper rates on the grounds that valuations have fallen dramatically since the last review in 2008.

A lower court ruled in December that businesses in Dundee’s Overgate and the Mercat in Kirkcaldy could claim rebates worth hundreds of thousands of pounds on rates paid in the last two years.

Peter Muir, director and head of rating for Colliers International in Scotland, which was involved in bringing the original case against rates based on 2008 values being charged in 2010, said: “The appeal outcome comes as a severe disappointment.”

He called on the Scottish 
Government to review the law governing business rates.