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List Description: Lifeboat Station and Premises

SCat Code 420: Suffix N

This is a specialist class and responsibility for valuation will lie with National Valuation Unit (NVU) Civic and Specialist Property Inspection Teams. Queries of a complex nature arising from the valuation of individual properties should be referred to the NVU Class Lead via the Class Co-ordination Team (CCT).

NVU Civic Team has overall responsibility for the co-ordination of this class. The CCT are responsible for the approach to and accuracy and consistency of valuations. The CCT will deliver Practice Notes describing the valuation basis for revaluation and provide advice as necessary during the life of the rating lists. Caseworkers have a responsibility to:

• Follow the advice given at all times.
• Not depart from the guidance given on appeals or maintenance work without approval from the co-ordination team.
• Seek advice from the co-ordination team should any issues arise that are not covered in this instruction.

Lifeboat stations are a suigeneris class and consequently, as a general rule, only evidence relating to hereditaments in the same mode or category of use is pertinent. See:

• Scottish and Newcastle (Retail) Ltd v Williams (VO) (RA 2000 P 119) and the subsequent Court of Appeal decision Williams (VO) v Scottish and Newcastle Retail and Allied Domecq [RA 2001 P 41)
• Re the appeal of Reeves (VO) RA 2007 P168
• Dawkins (VO) v Royal Leamington Spa BC and Warwickshire County Council (1961) RVR 291.

See Rating Manual Section 2 Part 7 Appendix 2 thereof for guidance on mode and category of use at the material day.

6.1 Method of Measurement

There is virtually no arms-length open market rental evidence in this sector and as a consequence property within this class will normally be assessed using the contractors basis of valuation. Measurement should be to Gross Internal Area (GIA) as defined in the Valuation Office Code of Measuring Practice.

6.2 Description

Ten types of lifeboat stations are shown in the Practice Note.

Having identified the lifeboat station type the appropriate cost outlined in the practice note should be used in the valuation. Information from inspections and local knowledge should be used to determine the lifeboat station type.

6.3 Requirements

a. Unit of Assessment

The principles referred to in Rating Manual Section 2 Part 2 2. Identification of the hereditament should be adhered to. In cases of difficulty advice from the Technical Advisor/NVU specialist should be obtained. The normal approach should be applied to the identification of hereditaments and no attempt should be made to aggregate property which on normal rating principles constitutes more than one hereditament.

Care should also be taken in the identification of the extent of the hereditament as any part of the property below the low water mark will not be rateable unless the Billing Authoritys boundary has been extended.

b. Survey Detail

The following information is required:

• A plan (CAD) or otherwise should be obtained where available and check dimensions made on site as necessary, otherwise a plan should be drawn up.
• Type of lifeboat station.
• Only the GIA of individual building(s) and any extensions is required unless there is a significant variation in the type of accommodation.
• Age of all buildings/extensions.
• Description and detail of services to the hereditament e.g. heating, air conditioning, security systems (to include CCTV), solar panels, wind turbines etc.
• Brief details of the external areas including any hardstandings, boundary treatment etc.
• The site area. Where total site area is not known an addition should be made for the land value based on an area of two times the ground floor of the lifeboat station including areas such as a slipway that extends beyond the low water mark.

Survey information including plans are to be stored on EDRM. The GIA of the building(s) is to be entered onto the valuation spreadsheet held on the non-bulk server (NBS).