Annual Report and Accounts 2007

Financial Statements

Notes to the consolidated accounts

18. Investment properties

  2007
£m
2006
£m
At 1 January 2,426 1,912
Purchases 167 285
Acquisitions through business combinations 74 -
Disposals (91) (39)
Fair value adjustments (205) 268
At 31 December 2,371 2,426

Investment properties are carried at fair value. The properties are independently valued in accordance with the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors' guidelines on the basis of open market value. The key assumptions used in preparing the property valuations relate to tenure, letting and town planning and the location, condition and state of repair of the properties.