精东影视

The new president of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has stepped aside just two months into the job following his involvement in a legal battle over a 拢32m moth-infested mansion.

Justin Sullivan has referred himself to the RICS鈥� Standards and Regulation Board and requested an independent regulatory review into the High Court judgment handed down last month.

Nick Maclean, RICS president elect and CBRE鈥檚 former chair of the Middle East and North Africa, has temporarily become acting president of the organisation while the investigation into Sullivan is conducted.

Sullivan鈥檚 referral comes after he served as an expert witness for the seller of a luxury Notting Hill mansion which was found by its buyers, Iya Patarkatsishvili and Yevhen Hunyak, to be infested by what one insect specialist had described as a moth infestation of 鈥渆xtreme proportions鈥�.

A High Court judge ruled in February that the buyers were entitled to a full refund as the seller William Woodward-Fisher, had failed to disclose the infestation. Mr Woodward-Fisher has since been handed a 拢36.5m final court bill.

Sullivan was criticised by the judge, Mr Justice Fancourt, for providing 鈥渇lawed鈥� evidence and for being 鈥漸nwilling to make sensible concessions鈥�.

The judge said: 鈥滻 was unimpressed by Mr Sullivan鈥檚 grasp of the matters in issue, which to a considerable degree, I consider, was work that had been done for him by his team, and with the detail of which he was insufficiently familiar.

鈥淚 was unimpressed by his exercise of judgement, which seemed to me to be flawed in many instances, and by his approach to answering questions that were put to him.鈥�

The RICS review of the judgment will consist of looking at 鈥減ublicly available information and any relevant evidence obtained through ongoing inquiries鈥� and 鈥渆valuating the context and wider circumstances of the matter to determine whether further regulatory action is necessary鈥�, the RICS said.

A formal investigation in line with RICS regulatory framework will be opened if 鈥渟ufficient evidence suggests further action is required鈥�, the RICS said.

A spokesperson for the RICS said: 鈥淣ick Maclean has, temporarily, become acting president of RICS. This follows the involvement of Justin Sullivan as an expert witness in High Court proceedings in the case of Iya Patarkatsishvili & Anor v William Woodward-Fisher, about which he has referred the matter to the Standards and Regulation Board鈥檚 regulatory team.鈥�

Woodward Fisher purchased the property in 2012 for 拢10.4m before starting a 拢10m refurbishment, which included installation of an eco-insulation made largely of natural wool, a natural nesting habitat for moths.

He had denied the presence of 鈥渧ermin鈥� in the house when questioned by the buyers prior to the purchase, with the court case hinging on the definition of the word 鈥榲ermin鈥� and whether this applied to moths.

A spokesperson for Sullivan said: 鈥淭here is a misunderstanding and an over-reaction. Mr Sullivan is a Chartered Quantity Surveyor and is instructed in litigation as an expert witness. There is no finding of professional misconduct against Mr Sullivan. He has referred himself to RICS as a matter of routine. That process is confidential. Mr Sullivan has nothing further to say at present.鈥�