Compulsory Purchase Specialist
Protecting Your Right to Fair Compensation
What is a CPO?
A compulsory purchase order is a method of land assembly or property acquisition used by government agencies to acquire or assemble land needed for development projects where they would not be able to purchase the land by agreement. It is still the case that a government body will be involved in a compulsory purchase order but increasingly the project will be financially backed by a private developer and that is who you will be dealing with. It is common that compulsory purchase powers are used for town centre and estate renewal schemes as much as infrastructure projects.
Put simply, a compulsory purchase order provides the right for the body with the compulsory purchase powers (known as an acquiring authority) to force the homeowner, business owner or landowner from their property on a set date. The party whose property will be ‘taken’ has no control over the date it will happen or the value the purchaser will put on their property or business. They will also have little support from the acquiring authority in finding a property to relocate to or reinvest in.
The following links take you to literature prepared by the Government providing some helpful initial compulsory purchase guidance.
Communities and Local Government – Compulsory Purchase Procedure
Please Call this one Communities and Local Government – Compensation to Business Owners and Occupiers
Please Call this one Communities and Local Government – Compensation to Residential Owners and Occupiers
The Role of a Compulsory Purchase Surveyor
Tom Olden acts as a surveyor (valuer) on behalf of people affected by compulsory purchase (known as claimants). The role of a compulsory purchase surveyor is to advise claimants on the entire compulsory purchase process from the date a letter comes through their door that it might happen, to the date the acquiring authority takes possession of the property. Tom will advise on what compensation a claimant is entitled to including the property value, statutory payments and additional compensation, explain the process of objecting to a compulsory purchase order, assist with the search for relocation and reinvestment property. Tom would also act as an expert witness if the case were to go to Tribunal in the event a satisfactory settlement was not reached.
“My role is to take the stress (as much as possible) from the people affected by this unique occurrence and keep them informed every step of the way. More importantly my role is to act on behalf of the claimant to ensure they are fully compensated for their forced sale of their property.”
Why Use Olden Property Consulting
If you find yourself in the unfortunate position that your property is included in a proposed compulsory purchase order and you decide to take advice from a surveyor, my advice would be ensure you are taking advice from a specialist compulsory purchase surveyor. Tom is a Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors RICS and registered valuer. Tom is also a member of the Compulsory Purchase Association. He has been advising people affected by compulsory purchase since 2006 when he worked on the land assembly for the London Olympics. Since then he have advised countless homeowners, small business owners as well as national retailers and corporates affected by CPO.
“I try to take the fear out of compulsory purchase, which for claimants is the fear of the unknown. The phrase ‘the threat of a CPO’ is a common one in the world of compulsory purchase but is sometimes taken too literally by developers and councils. When a claimant has not taken advice or has taken advice from a surveyor who doesn’t specialise in CPO then the fear of the unknown will remain. I am confident I can explain the jargon in simple terms, provide clear strategic advice in relation to your case and ensure you receive the best settlement possible within the statutory rules.”
What differentiates Olden Property Consulting
Tom is passionate about ensuring claimants are provided with the same level of advice afforded to the developers and local authorise undertaking the compulsory purchase. Tom deals with every case personally and therefore Olden Property Consulting clients know their claim is being handled by a highly experienced compulsory purchase surveyor, it will not be passed to a trainee or recently qualified colleague. Consistency of advice and knowledge of the history of a case is invaluable. One point of contact – one source of knowledge throughout the process
Tunbridge Wells Office
Olden Property Consulting
16 Mount Pleasant Road
Tunbridge Wells
TN1 1QU
T: 077 0880 7362
London Office
Olden Property Consulting
4 Old Park Lane
Mayfair, London
W1K 1QW
T: 020 711 28073
