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AllowedFirst-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber)·

Fair Rent Determination for Flat 1, 11 Francis Terrace

Case No.

📌 In brief

The Tribunal decided on a fair rent of £1,188 per month for a flat in London, following the procedures outlined in the Rent Act 1977.

⚖️ Legal holding

A tenant is entitled to a fair rent determination under the Rent Act 1977, subject to statutory caps.

Topics

fair rent determinationmaximum fair rent calculation

Provisions

Rent Act 1977Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999

📖 Technical summary

The Tribunal determined a fair rent of £1,188 per month, which is below the maximum fair rent limit.

📜 Headnote Official document

The Tribunal determined a fair rent of £1,188 per month for a property in London, applying the Rent Act 1977 and the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999.

📚 Full judgment Official document

OUTCOME: Allowed

Notice of the Tribunal Decision

Rent Act 1977 Schedule 11

Address of Premises The Tribunal members were [ADDRESS], [POSTCODE]

Mr [APPELLANT]

Landlord [APPELLANT]

Tenant Mr [APPELLANT]

1. The fair rent is £1188 Per Month (excluding water rates and council tax but including any amounts in paras 3&4)

2. The effective date is 17th June 2024

3. The amount for services is

Per

not applicable

4. The amount for fuel charges (excluding heating and lighting of common parts) not counting for rent allowance is

Per

not applicable

5. The rent is not to be registered as variable.

6. The capping provisions of the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999 apply (please see calculation overleaf)

7. Details (other than rent) where different from Rent Register entry

8. For information only:

(a) The fair rent to be registered is not limited by the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999, because it is below the maximum fair rent of £1,382 per month

[NAME] of decision 17th June 2024

MAXIMUM FAIR RENT CALCULATION

LATEST RPI FIGURE X 383

PREVIOUS RPI FIGURE Y 317.7

X 383 Minus Y 317.7 = (A) 65.3

(A) 65.3 Divided by Y 317.7 = (B) 0.206

First application for re-registration since 1 February 1999 YES/NO

If yes (B) plus 1.075 = (C)

If no (B) plus 1.05 = (C) 1.256

Last registered rent* 1100 Multiplied by (C) = 1381.60 *(exclusive of any variable service charge)

Rounded up to nearest 50p = 1382

Variable service charge NO If YES add amount for services

MAXIMUM FAIR RENT = £1382 Per Month

Explanatory Note

1. The calculation of the maximum fair rent, in accordance with the formula contained in the Order, is set out above.

2. In summary, the formula provides for the maximum fair rent to be calculated by:

(a) increasing the previous registered rent by the percentage change in the retail price index (the RPI) since the date of that earlier registration and

(b) adding a further 7.5% (if the present application was the first since 1 February 1999) or 5% (if it is a second or subsequent application since that date).

A 7.5% increase is represented, in the calculation set out above, by the addition of 1.075 to (B) and an increase of 5% is represented by the addition of 1.05 to (B).

The result is rounded up to the nearest 50 pence.

3. For the purposes of the calculation the latest RPI figure (x) is that published in the calendar month immediately before the month in which the Tribunal’s fair rent determination was made.

4. The process differs where the tenancy agreement contains a variable service charge and the rent is to be registered as variable under section 71(4) of the Rent Act 1977. In such a case the

variable service charge is removed before applying the formula. When the amount determined by the application of the formula is ascertained the service charge is then added to that sum in order to produce the maximum fair rent.

Case Reference

: LON/00AP/F77/2024/0112

Property : [ADDRESS] [POSTCODE]

Tenant

: Mr [APPELLANT]

Landlord : [APPELLANT] of Objection : 4 January 2024

Type of Application : Section 70, Rent Act 1977

Tribunal

: Mr [NAME] of Summary Reasons

: 17th June 2024

_______________________________________________

DECISION

The sum of £1,188 per calendar month will be registered as the fair rent with effect from 14 May 2024, being the date, the Tribunal made the Decision. ____________________________________

© CROWN COPYRIGHT 2023

SUMMARY REASONS FIRST - TIER TRIBUNAL PROPERTY CHAMBER (RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY)

Background 1. Following an objection from the Landlord to the determination of a fair rent by the Rent Officer, the Tribunal has made a determination under the provisions of the Rent Act 1977.

Inspection 2. The Tribunal did not inspect the property and relied on the information provided by the Rent Officer together with [ADDRESS] and its expert knowledge.

Evidence 3.. The Tribunal had copies of the Valuation Office Agency correspondence including the rent registers effective 17th January 2022 and 17th January 2024 together with the calculations for the most recent registration.

The parties provided information in connection with the property and the Tenant completed the Reply Form. The Landlord provided comparable evidence of rental values for four flats achieved in the same building.

Determination and Valuation 4. Having consideration of our own expert, general knowledge of rental values in the Tooting area, we consider that the open market rent for the property in its current condition would be in the region of £1,650 per month. From this level of rent we have made adjustments in relation to the terms of the tenancy. which equates to approximately 10%

5. The Tribunal has also made an adjustment for scarcity at 20%

6. The full valuation is shown below:

Market Rent £1,650 pm

Less (as above)

approx. 10% £165

Leaves: £1,485.00

Less Scarcity

approx. 20%

£297

Leaves: £1,188 pm

7. The Tribunal determines a rent of £1,118 per calendar month

Decision

8. The uncapped fair rent initially determined by the Tribunal, for the purposes of section 70, was £1,188 per calendar month. The capped rent for the property according to the provisions of the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999 is calculated at £1,382per calendar month. The calculation of the capped rent is shown on the decision form. In this case the lower rent of £1,188 per calendar month is to be registered as the fair rent for this property.

Chairman: [NAME]: 17th June 2024

APPEAL PROVISIONS

These summary reasons are provided to give the parties an indication as to how the Tribunal made its decision. If either party wishes to appeal this decision, they should first make a request for full reasons and the details of how to appeal will be set out in the full reasons. Any subsequent application for permission to appeal should be made on Form RP PTA

📊 How courts decide similar cases

Among 12 similar decisions in this collection:

A snapshot of this collection — not a prediction of your case's outcome.

⚖️ What tends to weigh in cases like this

✅ Tends to be accepted

  • The tenant is entitled to a fair rent determination under the Rent Act 1977, subject to statutory caps.
  • The fair rent reflects the property's condition and market conditions.
  • Rent is capped according to the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999.
  • Fair rent calculation considers the Retail Price Index and relevant deductions.
  • The fair rent determination takes into account the Retail Price Index and the terms of the lease.

Patterns observed in similar cases in this collection — every case is unique.

❓ Frequently asked questions

What did this decision decide?

It decided on a fair rent of £1,188 per month for the property.

Who was involved?

The tenant and the landlord were involved.

How did the court decide, and why?

The court used the Rent Act 1977 and the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999 to determine the fair rent.

Which laws or rules were applied?

The Rent Act 1977 and the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999 were applied.

What was the argument that mattered most?

The argument that mattered most was the calculation of the fair rent according to the Rent Act 1977.

Was the decision for or against the person who brought the case?

The decision was for the tenant.

What does this mean for someone in a similar situation?

Someone in a similar situation can expect their fair rent to be determined similarly under the Rent Act 1977.

What evidence or documents mattered?

The evidence included the rent registers and comparable rental values.

Can a decision like this be appealed?

Yes, decisions like this can be appealed through the appropriate legal channels.

Is it worth getting a solicitor for a case like this?

It is always recommended to seek advice from a qualified solicitor for cases involving fair rent determinations.

Official source: First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) headnote and full judgment reproduced from the court's public records. View on the official source ↗Summary, holding, technical summary and questions: produced by Artificial Intelligence based on the official headnote and judgment. These are VadeLab’s own material and are not the work of the Court.This decision was issued by the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) and is reproduced from its published records. VadeLab is not affiliated with, and this page is not endorsed by, that court or tribunal.