Building society Nationwide and Dunlop Haywards have settled their £26m valuation claim out of court.

The settlement was agreed just before Mr Justice Simon was due to hand down his judgement. The terms of the settlement, and the judgement which had been reached, are confidential.

The claim, which was heard in April, related to three valuations made on properties by former Dunlop Haywards director Ian McGarry.

Nationwide claimed these valuations were higher than the true value of the properties, and that leases had been forged to make it look there were tenants present.

The valuations were used to secure loans from Nationwide, which said during the hearing that they had influenced the amount it was willing to lend. Dunlop Haywards had argued that Nationwide staff had known that the properties were worth less than the valuations provided.

Dunlop Haywards is a subsidiary of AIM listed property group Erinaceous.

A Dunlop Haywards spokesperson said: ‘The issues have been resolved to the satisfaction of both parties.’ Nationwide declined to comment on the settlement.