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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 a fair rent for a property under the Rent Act 1977. The decision took into account the condition and amenities of the property, making necessary adjustments to arrive at the fair rent.

⚖️ Legal holding

A tenant is entitled to a fair rent determination that takes into account the condition and amenities of the property, adjusted for relevant factors.

Topics

fair rent determinationRent Act 1977property valuation

Provisions

Rent Act 1977 Schedule 11Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999

📖 Technical summary

The Tribunal determined a fair rent for a property under the Rent Act 1977, considering various factors including the condition and amenities of the property.

📜 Headnote Official document

The Tribunal determined a fair rent for a property under the Rent Act 1977, considering various factors including the condition and amenities of the property. The decision was made by Mr A Harris LLM FRICS FCIArb on 15 July 2025.

📚 Full judgment Official document

OUTCOME: Allowed

FR27 First-tier Tribunal – Property Chamber File Ref No. LON/00AW/F77/2025/0155

Notice of the Tribunal Decision

Rent Act 1977 Schedule 11

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

[NAME] [NAME]

Landlord [COMPANY]

Tenant Mr [APPELLANT]

1. The fair rent is £17160.00 Per year (excluding water rates and council tax but including any amounts in paras 3&4)

2. The effective date is 15 July 2025

3. The amount for services is

Per

negligible/not applicable

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

Per

negligible/not applicable

5. The rent is/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)/ do not apply because 1st registration/15% exemption.

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

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 £ ............................ per ................................... including £ ...................... per ................................. for services (variable).

(b) The fair rent to be registered is not limited by the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999, because it is the same as/below the maximum fair rent of £ 19328.50 .... per year ............ including £ ......................................... per ................................. for services (variable) prescribed by the Order.

[NAME] of decision 15 July 2025

FR27 MAXIMUM FAIR RENT CALCULATION

LATEST RPI FIGURE X 402.9

PREVIOUS RPI FIGURE Y 367.2

X 402.9 Minus Y 367.2 = (A) 35.7

(A) 35.7 Divided by Y 367.2 = (B) 0.09722

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) 1.14722

Last registered rent* 16848 Multiplied by (C) = 19328.40 *(exclusive of any variable service charge)

Rounded up to nearest 50p = 19328.50

Variable service charge YES / NO If YES add amount for services

MAXIMUM FAIR RENT = £19328.50 Per year

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/F77/2025/0155

Property : [ADDRESS], [POSTCODE]

Tenant

: Mr [APPELLANT]

Landlord : [COMPANY] of Objection : 12 March 2025

Type of Application : Section 70, Rent Act 1977

Tribunal

: Mr [NAME] [NAME] of Summary Reasons

: 15 July 2025

_______________________________________________

DECISION

The sum of £17160.00 per year will be registered as the fair rent with effect from 15 July 2025, being the date the Tribunal made the Decision. ____________________________________

© CROWN COPYRIGHT 2023

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.

Inspection

2. The Tribunal did not inspect the property but considered this case on the basis of the papers provided by the parties.

Evidence

3. There were no written submissions from the parties.

Determination and Valuation

4. In the absence of rental comparables provided by the parties the tribunal has relied on its own expert, general knowledge of rental values in the area, we consider that the open market rent for the property in the condition and with the amenities the market would expect would be in the region of £33000 per year (£2750 per month). From this level of rent we have made adjustments in relation to:

No central heating, carpets, curtains or white goods

5. The Tribunal has also made an adjustment for scarcity.

6. The full valuation is shown below:

Decision

7. The uncapped fair rent initially determined by the Tribunal, for the purposes of section 70, was £17160.00 per year (£1430.00 per month). The capped rent for the property according to the provisions of the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999 is calculated at £19328.00 per year. The calculation of the capped rent is shown on the decision form. Fair rent Per year Market rent 33,000.00 £ less condition & terms 35% 11,550.00 -£ adjusted rent 21,450.00 £ less scarcity off adj rent 20% 4,290.00 -£ Fair rent 17,160.00 £

3 In this case the lower rent of £17610.00 per year is to be registered as the fair rent or this property.

Chairman: [NAME]: 15 July 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 tenant is entitled to a fair rent calculation that considers the condition and amenities of the property.
  • The tenant is entitled to a fair rent capped at the maximum fair rent as prescribed by the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999.
  • The tenant is entitled to a fair rent determined by the Tribunal under the Rent Act 1977.
  • The tenant is entitled to a fair rent calculation that takes into account the market rent and scarcity of similar properties.
  • The tenant is entitled to a fair rent calculation that reflects the current market conditions and the state of repair of the property.

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

❓ Frequently asked questions

What did this decision decide?

The fair rent for a property was determined under the Rent Act 1977.

Who was involved?

The tenant and the landlord were involved.

How did the court decide, and why?

The court decided based on the condition and amenities of the property, adjusting the rent accordingly.

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 condition and amenities of the property.

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

The decision was for the person who brought the case.

What does this mean for someone in a similar situation?

Someone in a similar situation should ensure their property's condition and amenities are well-documented when seeking a fair rent determination.

What evidence or documents mattered?

Evidence regarding the condition and amenities of the property mattered.

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.