Cluttons welcomes Chris Servers to Manchester office

Cluttons has added another partner to its Manchester office. Chris Severs joins bringing over 20 years of experience and expertise in business rates consultancy to the team.

Servers commented, “I am excited by the opportunity to join a practice that has a commitment to grow its services and expertise in the North, I look forward to working with market leading experts in providing business rates and commercial consulting services advice.”

In late 2021, Cluttons launched a new hub in the North of England, based on King Street in Manchester. The move came as part of its corporate expansion to grow in the right locations to serve client needs. In the last three months alone, the strategic property advisor has added four hires as it seeks to scale up the team across all disciplines.

Employing over 240 staff, Cluttons partners corporates, developers and private investors across the region to supply portfolio management, funding advice, land sale work, property valuation and home letting, among other services. As part of the firm’s growing Manchester team, Servers will work toadvise clients in relation to all business rate matters. He will have a particular focus on rateable value appeal work and more specialist savings initiatives including empty rates mitigation.

Charlie Ardern, Head of the Manchester office, noted, “Since our office launched last autumn we have grown steadily, increasing our client base and coverage across the north with investment and support from the Cluttons’ leadership team. We will continue to expand with talented experts across a range of disciplines and are delighted to welcome Chris and his invaluable experience to the team.”

Servers joins from Avison Young and prior to that was at Altus Group. He has represented as an expert or assisted a variety of clients on business rates matters at the Court of Appeal, Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) and Valuation Tribunal. He is also a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and member of the Rating Surveyors Association. 

This expertise will come in particularly useful, as the last 13 years have seen only two valuation cycles, and a global pandemic that has accelerated structural changes for businesses. This means the North of England is currently seeing huge dislocations in what business rates should be paid, coupled with new changes to the system that occupiers and landlords are not familiar with. As the market looks to adapt, demand for consulting services on the matter is booming.

Ryan Jones, Head of Business Rates in the North, added, “Our team are experts in mitigation, future planning, appeals and guidance. Chris’s appointment is thus a strategic move that will give our broad range of clients further support in navigating these changes and challenges without which they would face more business risks.”