AllowedFirst-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber)·05 March 2025

First-tier Tribunal Adjusts Rent for Unfurnished Property

Case No.

📌 In brief

The First-tier Tribunal adjusted the proposed rent for an unfurnished property based on its condition and lack of furniture, setting the rent at £1,395 per month starting June 1st, 2024.

⚖️ Legal holding

A tenant is entitled to a rent adjustment based on the condition and furnishings of the property.

Topics

rent determinationadjustment for property condition

Provisions

Housing Act 1988 s.14

📖 What the law says

Housing Act 1988 s.14

Under the Housing Act 1988, section 14 allows a tenant under an assured tenancy to apply to a tribunal to challenge the rent payable under the tenancy. The tribunal will then determine the rent based on what a willing landlord might expect to receive for letting the property in the open market. The determination considers the periodic nature of the tenancy, the start date of the new period, and the terms of the tenancy excluding the rent amount.

Plain-English explanation — does not replace advice from a solicitor.

📖 Technical summary

The Tribunal adjusted the proposed rent after considering the condition of the property and its unfurnished state.

📜 Headnote Official document

The First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) adjusted the proposed rent for an unfurnished property based on its condition and lack of furniture, determining a rent of £1,395 per calendar month effective from 1 June 2024.

📚 Full judgment Official document

OUTCOME: Allowed

MR22 First-tier Tribunal – Property Chamber File Ref No. LON/00AG/MNR/2024/0319

Notice of the Tribunal Decision and Register of Rents under Assured Periodic Tenancies (Section 14 Determination or Section 22 Determination)

Housing Act 1988 Section 14

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

[NAME]

Landlord [RESPONDENT]/[RESPONDENT] [ADDRESS] [POSTCODE]

Tenant Ms [APPELLANT] [NAME]

1. The rent is: £ 1,395 Per Calendar month (excluding water rates and council tax but including any amounts in paras 3)

2. The date the decision takes effect is: 1 June 2024

3. The amount included for services is

negligible/not applicable N/A Per N/A

5. Date assured tenancy commenced 17 November 2015

6. Length of the term or rental period Monthly

7. Allocation of liability for repairs S.11 Landlord and Tenant Act, 1985

8. Furniture provided by landlord or superior landlord None

9. Description of premises Fourth floor flat comprising a lounge/kitchen, one bedroom and bathroom.

[NAME] of Decision 18 February 2025

Case Reference

: LON/00AG/MNR/2024/0319

Property : [ADDRESS], [POSTCODE]

Tenant

: Ms [APPELLANT] [NAME]

Landlord : [APPELLANT]/ [RESPONDENT] of Objection : 31 May 2024

Type of Application : Determination of a Market Rent sections 13 & 14 of the Housing Act 1988

Tribunal Member : [NAME] of Summary Reasons

: 18 February 2025

_______________________________________________

DECISION

The Tribunal determines a rent of £1,395 per calendar month with effect from 1 June 2024. ____________________________________

FIRST - TIER TRIBUNAL PROPERTY CHAMBER (RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY)

2 SUMMARY REASONS

Background 1. On 19 February 2024 the Landlord served a notice under Section 13(2) of the Housing Act 1988 which proposed a new rent of £1,443.18 in place of the existing rent of £1,340.00 per month to take effect from 01 June 2024.

2. On 31 May 2024 under Section 13(4)(a) of the Housing Act 1988, the Tenant referred the Landlord’s notice proposing a new rent to the Tribunal for determination of a market rent. The Tenant’s referral was received by the Tribunal on 31 May 2024.

Inspection 3. The Tribunal did not inspect the property but considered this case on the basis of the papers provided by the parties.

Evidence 4. The Tribunal has consideration of the written submissions provided by the Tenant. There were no written submissions from the Landlord.

Determination and Valuation 5. Having consideration of the comparable evidence proved by the parties and of our own expert, general knowledge of rental values in the area, we consider that the open market rent for the property in good tenantable condition would be in the region of £1,550 per calendar month. From this level of rent we have made adjustments in relation to:

Condition and lack of furniture.

6. The full valuation is shown below:

per calendar month Market Rent

£1,550

Less Condition

) Unfurnished

) Total approx. 10 %

£155

£1,395

7. The Tribunal determines a rent of £1,395.00 per calendar month.

Decision 8. The Tribunal therefore determined that the rent at which the subject property might reasonably be expected to be let in the open market by a willing Landlord under an assured tenancy was £1,395 per calendar month.

9. The Tribunal directs the new rent of £1,395 to take effect on 1 June 2024. This being the date as set out in the Landlord’s Notice of Increase.

Chairman: [NAME]: 18 February 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 request for full reasons should be made within a month. 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:

Allowed12 cases

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 rent can be adjusted based on the condition of the property.
The rent can be adjusted based on health and safety compliance issues.
The rent can be reduced if the property is in disrepair.
The rent can be adjusted based on improvements made to the property.
A tenant is entitled to a fair market rent for their assured periodic tenancy.

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

❓ Frequently asked questions

What did this decision decide?

The Tribunal adjusted the proposed rent for an unfurnished property based on its condition and lack of furniture.

Who was involved?

The decision involved a tenant and a landlord.

How did the court decide, and why?

The court decided to adjust the rent downwards because the property was unfurnished and in a certain condition.

Which laws or rules were applied?

The Housing Act 1988 section 14 was applied.

What was the argument that mattered most?

The argument that mattered most was the condition and lack of furniture in the property.

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 may also be able to negotiate a lower rent based on the condition and furnishings of their property.

What evidence or documents mattered?

Written submissions from the tenant and the landlord's notice proposing a new rent were important.

Can a decision like this be appealed?

Yes, decisions like this can be appealed, but the details will be set out in the full reasons.

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

It is always recommended to seek advice from a qualified solicitor for cases like this.

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.