Do you know where to turn when you require the services of a General Practice Chartered Surveyor as an Expert Witness for commercial, industrial or other real estate matters?
For Litigation Support and other purposes, you will need the services of an Expert Witness, to assist clients in various property related problems.
Edward Prentice is able to offer independent constructive opinions to minimise time and cost, in order to achieve practical early settlement.
He has over 50 years of technical experience in commercial industrial and general property consultancy and valuation experience throughout Britain and worldwide.
Litigation can be expensive.
A modest amount invested on expert professional property consultancy advice at an early stage can provide a sound basis on which to decide whether or not to proceed. This may not prejudice appointment as an SJE under Pt 35 CPR.
Property Expert Witness Work
One of the benefits of engaging Edward Prentice is that, as an experienced Property Expert Witness, many cases are settled following delivery of his report and never come to a hearing.
He has appeared in Courts to give evidence in cases where he had written reports. He has acted at different times for Claimants/Applicants as well as Defendants/Objectors and also as a Single Joint Expert.
Preliminary Property Consultancy Advice
A modest amount invested by lawyers acting for their clients at an early stage, on preliminary professional property consultancy advice, to provide a non CPR compliant Letter of Advice and Recommendations, can give a sound basis on which to decide whether or not to proceed.
This may not prejudice a later appointment as an Expert Witness under Pt 35 CPR.
Edward has been instructed to investigate and write reports on such diverse range of subjects as:
- Agency Commission Payments
- Arbitrations
- Boundary Issues
- Commercial Property
- Consulting Surveyors
- Defective Titles
- Estate Agency Practice
- General Practice Surveying
- Historical Property
- Industrial Property
- Landlord and Tenant Issues
- Professional Negligence
- Property Consulting
- Ransom Strips
- Real Estate Consultancy
- Rent Reviews
- Restrictive Covenants
- Retrospective Valuations
- Solicitors Negligence
- Valuations
- Other Disputes
Property Expert Witness Experience & Methodology
Over the years instructions have been received to act as an Expert Witness in the following situations:
For the Claimant / Applicant
Arbitration: Instructed by solicitors, London W1. Acting for the landlord in a complicated rent review situation going to Arbitrator appointed by the President RICS, concerning a number of commercial mews garages in London SW7. Settled by Arbitrator’s award. In 2011 asked to act in rent review for new owners.
High Court: Instructed by solicitors, London EC3. Valuation evidence over alleged professional negligence by environmental consultants over asbestos survey of industrial building in Redhill, Surrey. Settled by parties after delivery of Expert Report.
High Court: Instructed by solicitors, London EC3. Diminution in value following a fire of a major chemical works in Merseyside. Settled by parties after delivery of Expert Report.
County Court: Instructed by Solicitors, Hastings, East Sussex. Professional negligence against Kent solicitors over the acquisition of property. Settled by parties after delivery of Expert Report.
High Court: Instructed by solicitors, Exeter, Devon. Valuation evidence in a professional negligence case against Kent solicitors over a residential property development in county. Negotiated settlement after delivery of Expert Report.
County Court: Instructed by solicitors, Brighton, East Sussex. Professional negligence against Kent solicitors over a residential property in East Sussex. Settled after delivery of Expert Report.
County Court: Instructed by solicitors, Basingstoke, Hants. Professional negligence against Northampton solicitors over a residential property in Hampshire. Settled after preparation of Experts Joint Report.
County Court: Instructed by Solicitors, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Professional negligence against Kent solicitors over a planning appeal regarding a commercial garden centre and nursery property in South East London.
High Court, London: Instructed by Solicitors, London. Advice on normal estate agency fee rates in acquisition cases in London. Settled after delivery of Expert Report.
For the Defendant / Objector
Lands Tribunal: Instructed by solicitors Rye, East Sussex. Application for a discharge of a 1957 restrictive covenant against building houses on a field at Rye, East Sussex. The matter was settled by the parties during the first day of the Hearing.
County Court: Instructed by Solicitors Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Professional negligence claim against solicitors regarding a lease of an industrial property in Kent. The matter was settled by the parties following meeting of surveyors and preparation of Joint Statement.
High Court: Instructed by Solicitors, Leeds. Valuation of hotel destroyed by fire, West Midlands and potential residential development site. Engagement concerned possible indemnity insurance claim. Settled by parties after delivery of Expert Report.
County Court: Instructed by Solicitors, Cardiff. Boundary Dispute, Kent. Settled by parties after delivery of Expert Report.
Single Joint Expert
County Court: Appointed by Judge. Originally instructed by solicitors, Hemel Hempstead, HertsCase involved access over a track by one party owned by another party with three additional parties involved in West Midlands. Settled by parties after delivery of Expert Report.
County Court: Appointed by parties Case involves alleged poor construction of a tree house in Kent. Settled after evidence given at court hearing.
Expert Witness Reports are prepared in accordance with:
The Academy of Experts Model Form of Expert Report as set out by the Judicial Committee of the Academy and modified to meet the requirements of the Civil Procedure Rules 1999 for the purposes defined at the date of reporting.
The RICS Practice Statement and Guidance Notes for Surveyors Acting as Expert Witnesses
Preliminary enquiries have been received for a number of other potential Expert Witness instructions concerning a variety of properties in different locations.
Edward Prentice’s Property Expert Witness Qualifications
- Fellow, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
- RICS Registered Valuer
- RICS Accredited Expert Witness
- Member RICS Expert Witness Registration Scheme (EWRS No: 112)
- Trained as a Single Joint Expert
- Has given evidence in court
He has been trained by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, the Academy of Experts, The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Bond Solon and other organisations, in court practice and procedures.
He has been educated in the relevant legal processes since the changes introduced with the Code of Guidance for Experts under the Civil Procedure.