On the 1st of July, the Court of  Appeal issued a landmark judgment in a professional negligence case that will have wide-ranging ramifications across the lending industry. The decision also sets a new precedent, in that it changes the legal principle of causation.

Banks, building societies, asset based lenders and surveyors will be affected by the eagerly-awaited decision that means lenders can recover all of their losses from a negligent valuer arising out of a refinance loan. The effect of the case goes well beyond both the lending and valuation industries as it refines the way in which the Court will apply the long established "but for" test to assess what loss flows from a breach.

Solicitors Rosling King (RK) acted for the Liquidators of bridging lender, Tiuta International Limited, against De Villiers Surveyors Limited in a case involving the valuation of a property development in Sunningdale, Berkshire.

Tiuta sought to recover from De Villiers the £890,500 loss it suffered arising out of a refinance loan, claiming the valuation report significantly and negligently overvalued the property.