First-tier Tribunal Determines Fair Rent for Property

OUTCOME: Allowed

© CROWN COPYRIGHT 2025

Case Reference : LON/00BK/F77/2025/0280 Property : [ADDRESS], [POSTCODE] Tenant : Mr. [APPELLANT] Landlord : [APPELLANT] of Objection : 10 July 2025 Type of Application : Section 70, Rent Act 1977 Tribunal Members : Judge McKeown Mrs. J. Rodericks MRICS Date and venue of Consideration : 10 [ADDRESS] [POSTCODE] Date of Decision : 15 December 2025

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DECISION

The sum of £348.30 per week will be registered as the fair rent with effect from 15 December 2025, being the date the Tribunal made the Decision. ____________________________________

FIRST - TIER TRIBUNAL PROPERTY CHAMBER (RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY)

2 SUMMARY REASONS

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.

2. The subject property is a flat with a living room, kitchen, three bedrooms, bathroom and WC. It has central heating said to have been provided by the Tenant, no double-glazing, carpets and curtains and white goods, all provided by the Tenant. The Tenant states that there had been roof leaks in the past, including 2024 and 2025, and a wall in the WC is peeling/stained. He states that in 2018 he painted and decorated the property and replaced the carpets. 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 Tenant confirmed by letter dated 20 May 2025 that the Tribunal already had everything that he wished to rely upon. There were no written submissions from the Landlord. Determination and Valuation 5. Having consideration 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 £645 per week. From this level of rent we have made adjustments in relation to: a. Unmodernised kitchen and bathroom b. Lease terms – tenant’s decorating obligation c. No white goods, carpets or curtains d. Internal conditions/leaks/peeling wall e. Tenant provided central heating 6. The Tribunal has also made an adjustment for scarcity.

3 7. The full valuation is shown below:

per week Market Rent

£645

Less Unmodernised kitchen & bathroom

10% Tenant’s decorating obligation

2.5% No floor coverings/curtains/white goods

5% Internal condition/leaks/wall peeling etc

5% No central heating

10%

£435.38

Less Scarcity

approx. 20%

£87.08

£348.30

8. The Tribunal determines a rent of £348.30 per week. Decision 9. The uncapped fair rent initially determined by the Tribunal, for the purposes of section 70, was £348.30 per week. The capped rent for the property according to the provisions of the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999 is calculated at £434 per week. The calculation of the capped rent is shown on the decision form. In this case the lower rent of £348.30 per week is to be registered as the fair rent or this property. Chairman: Judge McKeown Date: 15 December 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

FR27 First-tier Tribunal – Property Chamber File Ref No. LON/00BK/F77/2025/0280

Notice of the Tribunal Decision

Rent Act 1977 Schedule 11

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

Judge McKeown Mrs. J. Rodericks MRICS

Landlord [APPELLANT]

[NAME]. [APPELLANT]

1. The fair rent is £348.30 Per week (excluding water rates and council tax but including any amounts in paras 3&4)

2. The effective date is 15 December 2025

3. The amount for services is N/A Per

negligible/not applicable

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

N/A 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)/ 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 week .......................... 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 below the maximum fair rent of £434 per week including £ ......................................... per ................................. for services (variable) prescribed by the Order.

Chairman Judge McKeown Date of decision 15 December 2025

FR27 MAXIMUM FAIR RENT CALCULATION

LATEST RPI FIGURE X 407.4

PREVIOUS RPI FIGURE Y 374.2

X 407.4 Minus Y 374.2 = (A) 33.2

(A) 33.2 Divided by Y 374.2 = (B) 0.089

First application for re-registration since 1 February 1999 NO

If yes (B) plus 1.075 = (C)

If no (B) plus 1.05 = (C) 1.139

Last registered rent* 381 Multiplied by (C) = 433.85 *(exclusive of any variable service charge)

Rounded up to nearest 50p = 434

Variable service charge NO If YES add amount for services

MAXIMUM FAIR RENT = £434 Per week

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.