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AllowedFirst-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber)·

Fair Rent Determination for Property Under Rent Act 1977

Case No.

📌 In brief

The First-tier Tribunal determined the fair rent for a property using the maximum fair rent calculation method under the Rent Act 1977. The decision was made by a person MRICS on 10 November 2025.

⚖️ Legal holding

A tenant is entitled to a fair rent calculation under the Rent Act 1977, subject to the maximum fair rent cap.

Topics

fair rentmaximum fair renttenancy agreement

Provisions

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

📖 Technical summary

The Tribunal determined the fair rent for a property under the Rent Act 1977, applying the maximum fair rent calculation method.

📜 Headnote Official document

The Tribunal determined the fair rent for a property under the Rent Act 1977, applying the maximum fair rent calculation method. The decision was made by Mr. D Jagger MRICS on 10 November 2025.

📚 Full judgment Official document

OUTCOME: Allowed

FR27 First-tier Tribunal – Property Chamber File Ref No. LON/00AW/F77/2025/0247

Notice of the Tribunal Decision

Rent Act 1977 Schedule 11

Address of Premises The Tribunal members were 18 0vington [ADDRESS] [POSTCODE]

[NAME]

Landlord [APPELLANT] c/o [APPELLANT]

Tenant Mrs [APPELLANT] [NAME]

1. The fair rent is £8103 Per Quarter (excluding water rates and council tax but including any amounts in paras 3&4)

2. The effective date is 10 November 2025

3. The amount for services is

Per

None

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

Per

None

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

None

8. For information only:

(a) The fair rent to be registered is the maximum fair rent as prescribed by the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999. The rent that would otherwise have been registered was £398.72 per week.

(b)

[NAME] of decision 10 November2025

FR27 MAXIMUM FAIR RENT CALCULATION

LATEST RPI FIGURE X 406.1

PREVIOUS RPI FIGURE Y 374.2

X 406.1 Minus Y 374.2 = (A) 31.9

(A) 31.9 Divided by Y 374.2 = (B) 0.09

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

If yes (B) plus 1.075 = (C) N/A

If no (B) plus 1.05 = (C) 1.14

Last registered rent* 7107.75 Multiplied by (C) = 8102.83 *(exclusive of any variable service charge)

Rounded up to nearest 50p = 8103

Variable service charge No If YES add amount for services

MAXIMUM FAIR RENT = 8103 Per Quarter

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.

1

Case Reference

: LON/00AW/F77/2025/0247

Property : 18 [ADDRESS] [POSTCODE]

Tenant

: Mrs [APPELLANT] [NAME]

Landlord : [APPELLANT] c/o [RESPONDENT] Tenants Objection received : 22 July 2025

Type of Application : Section 70, Rent Act 1977

Tribunal

: Mr [NAME] of Summary Reasons : 10 November 2025

_______________________________________________

DECISION

The sum of £8103 per calendar quarter will be registered as the fair rent with effect from 10 November 2025, being the date, the Tribunal made the Decision. ____________________________________

© CROWN COPYRIGHT 2024

FIRST - TIER TRIBUNAL PROPERTY CHAMBER (RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY)

2 SUMMARY REASONS

Background

1. Following an objection from the Tenant 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.

2. The parties did not request a hearing or an inspection.to determine this matter and the Tribunal agreed with this arrangement. The Tribunal considered this case on the basis of the papers provided by the parties and the Rent Officer with the assistance of Rightmove and Google Maps.

Evidence

3. The Tribunal did not receive completed Reply Statements from the parties nor any comparable evidence of rental levels in the area. The Tribunal had before it, the Rent Officers two Registrations and calculations for the most recent registration on the 30 June 2025 to take effect on the 3 August 2025.

Determination and Valuation

4. Having consideration of the limited evidence from the parties and our own expert, general knowledge of rental values in the Chelsea area, we consider that the open market rent for the property in its current condition would be in the region of £24,000 per quarter. (approximately £8,000 per month) From this level of rent we have made adjustments in relation to:

Terms of tenancy agreement, no white goods, no carpets or curtains, no central heating and tenant’s improvements over the years. This equates to approximately 45%

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

6. The full valuation is shown below:

Market Rent £24000 pq

Less

approx. 45% £10,800

£13,200

Less Scarcity

approx. 20%

£2,640

3

£10,560 pq

Decision

7. The uncapped fair rent initially determined by the Tribunal, for the purposes of section 70, was £10,560 per calendar quarter. The capped rent for the property according to the provisions of the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999 is calculated at £8103 per calendar quarter. The calculation of the capped rent is shown on the decision form.

8. In this case therefore the lower rent of £8103 per calendar quarter is to be registered as the fair rent for this property.

Chairman: [NAME]: 10 November 2025

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 fair rent reflects the open market rent adjusted for the property's condition and local scarcity.
  • The fair rent is determined by the Tribunal, considering the property's condition and other relevant factors.
  • The fair rent is adjusted for specific conditions of the property.
  • The fair rent is calculated according to the Retail Price Index and the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999.
  • The fair rent determination is based on the condition and location of the property, adjusted for market comparables and scarcity.

❌ Tends to be rejected

  • The fair rent determination is subject to statutory caps but was dismissed.

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

❓ Frequently asked questions

What did this decision decide?

The fair rent for the property was set at £8103 per quarter.

Who was involved?

The tenant objected to the determination of the fair rent by the Rent Officer.

How did the court decide, and why?

The court considered the limited evidence and their own knowledge of rental values in the area 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 centered around the calculation of the maximum fair rent based on the Retail Price Index (RPI).

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

The decision was for the tenant, setting a fair rent that reflects the maximum fair rent calculation.

What does this mean for someone in a similar situation?

Someone in a similar situation can expect their fair rent to be determined similarly, considering the maximum fair rent cap.

What evidence or documents mattered?

The evidence included the Rent Officer's registrations and calculations, and the Tribunal's own knowledge of rental values.

Can a decision like this be appealed?

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

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

It is 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.