JLL launches new Scotland rating team

(L-R) Tom Fothergill and Niall Rankin

Leading property consultancy JLL in Scotland has boosted its professional team with the appointment of two valuation specialists.
Based in the JLL’s Glasgow office, Niall Rankin has 20 years’ experience, and joins the firm as Lead Director for Rating in Scotl
and, having spent the last 11 years with G L Hearn.

Tom Fothergill, a former colleague of Niall’s, joins JLL’s Rating team as a Senior Surveyor after spells working for Glasgow City Council and latterly for G L Hearn in Manchester and Glasgow.

JLL is launching its new Scotland based rating team at a time when the topic of business rates in Scotland remains a key concern for many occupiers and investors. Newly-assessed rateable values will be introduced from 1 April, with many industries and sectors fearing the impact of higher rates restricted to a six month right of appeal in Scotland.

Niall and Tom will be focusing on delivering innovative, practical and reliable rating advice to deliver the lowest possible rates liability for JLL’s clients. ​​

Alasdair Humphery, Lead Director for Scotland at JLL commented: “We welcome Niall and Tom to our business across Scotland, where they will bring a wealth of technical rating expertise to our clients. The delayed revaluation of rates in Scotland combined with the changing pattern of values and the increasingly unpopular nature of this tax is likely to result in a number of challenges facing occupiers for the foreseeable future. With major changes afoot across the rating processes in both Scotland and the UK, making these two important appointments to our Rating team could not come at a more fitting time.”

“Niall and Tom join us as a well-established team through their time working together for a number of years and will act as an important link to JLL’s national team. Headed up by Niall, the Rating team will work on behalf of corporates, retailers and institutional clients in Scotland who are looking to navigate the new rating environment.”