Neil Atherton: Fee-Paid Valuer Member of the First-tier Tribunal, Property Chamber

“I was well supported when appointed with a fellow Chartered Surveyor member as a mentor and given the opportunity to experience the full range of casework. I have been fortunate to be able to sit with highly experienced legal judges and the Regional Surveyor who have all been very supportive and helpful.”

Background

I am a General Practice Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and have spent most of my career working as a valuer in the government’s Valuation Office. My career has covered the valuation of a wide range of properties including universities, hospitals and leisure properties.

The application

Having spoken to a former colleague who had retired and joined the First-tier Tribunal (FTT) Property Chamber, I felt that my skills and experience aligned with those required for the Valuer Member role. Although I had not dealt with residential property for many years, I had a good understanding of the litigation side of tribunals and felt this would be a new and interesting challenge.

The JAC appointment process was rather time consuming, taking several months to move through multiple stages from application to appointment. Selection of referees is very important as they must provide a lot of detail regarding suitability for the role. The interview itself was demanding, with scenario-based property valuation questions followed by competency-based questions asked by a panel of a tribunal member and two JAC members.

The role

Throughout my career as a Chartered Surveyor, I have dealt with a wide range of property issues. The FTT Property Chamber also deals with a range of different case types within a changing backdrop of legislation and judicial precedent. I was well supported when appointed with a fellow Chartered Surveyor member as a mentor and given the opportunity to experience the full range of casework along with induction courses and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) events. During my short time in the FTT, I have been fortunate to be able to sit with highly experienced legal judges and the Regional Surveyor who have all been very supportive and helpful. I am of the opinion that the decisions made have carefully considered the evidence and resulted in fair and reasonable outcomes.

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