Court-appointed expert and property valuer
A person appointed in accordance with Act No. 36/1967 Coll., on Experts and Interpreters, by the Minister of Justice, is entitled to use the designation court-appointed real estate expert. In exceptional cases, the appointment may also be made by the President of a Regional Court. The qualifications of applicants are assessed by regional advisory boards, which carefully select candidates who meet the demanding requirements for performing expert valuation activities.
The basic prerequisites for becoming a court-appointed real estate expert include:
a university degree in construction, economics, or law; at least two additional years of postgraduate study in property valuation; and typically ten years of professional experience in the field. However, this is a non-entitled position — the Minister of Justice or the President of the Regional Court must have a reason to appoint the candidate as an expert.
In comparison, a property valuer is a licensed professional who operates under a regulated trade, which requires relevant economic or construction education. The criteria for obtaining this license are less demanding than those for court-appointed experts. A court-appointed expert bears criminal responsibility for the results of their work — a valuer does not.
The services of property valuers are commonly used by banks and insurance companies, while court-appointed experts are typically consulted by tax authorities, courts, and both private individuals and companies who need valuation reports for tax purposes or financial settlements (for example, in inheritance or divorce proceedings).