Appointment comes ahead of the appeal deadline at the end of July, with occupiers urged to ‘use it or lose it’
Knight Frank has appointed one of Scotland’s most experienced business rates specialists to lead a new dedicated service, with the deadline for the latest appeals process fast approaching.
Steve Dunbar has joined Knight Frank as rating advisor, spearheading the new offering. Based in the firm’s Aberdeen office, he will provide support and guidance on business rates to occupiers across Scotland.
Most recently assistant assessor for the Aberdeen City division of the Grampian Assessor, Steve brings with him more than 35 years’ experience and expertise of the rating system. Between two spells with the Grampian Assessor, Steve spent nearly two decades with the Tayside Assessor’s Perth operation.
The appointment follows the latest revaluation on 1 April 2026 – the second since the system moved to three-year cycles. The vast majority of commercial properties are believed to have seen their rateable values increase, with appeals required to be made before 31 July 2026.
Knight Frank recently found that more than 500 companies in Aberdeen alone are owed around £1.5 million in overpaid business rates. Five companies are due more than £100,000, with another seven owed more than £50,000.
In addition to Aberdeen, Knight Frank also operates Scottish commercial property offices in Edinburgh and Glasgow, providing services ranging from capital markets advisory and office agency to valuations and building consultancy.
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Steve Dunbar said: “Leading Knight Frank’s new rates offering in Scotland felt like a great opportunity and I’m delighted to join the team. With the revaluation cycle now reduced to three years, a very tight timeframe for appeals to be made, and many businesses struggling in the current economic environment, more occupiers than ever need the best possible advice to ensure they are not over-paying their business rates.”
Eric Shearer, head of office at Knight Frank Aberdeen, added: “Steve brings decades of business rates expertise to our team at a time when it is acutely relevant. With the recent revaluation, some occupiers will have seen their rateable values double or even treble. For anyone in that position, it’s a case of using or losing their appeal – there are only three months until the deadline, so you need to take action now or be locked into your valuation for the next three years.”
