First-tier Tribunal Determines Market Rent for Residential Property

OUTCOME: Allowed

© CROWN COPYRIGHT

Case Reference

: BIR/00CN/MNR/2025/0629

Property : [ADDRESS] on Trent [POSTCODE]

Tenant

: [APPELLANT]

Landlord : [APPELLANT] [NAME] of Application : Determination of a Market Rent under sections 13 & 14 of the Housing Act 1988

Tribunal Members : [NAME] [NAME]

Date of Decision : 29 August 2025

Date of Issue

: 11 September 2025

_______________________________________________

DECISION

The Tribunal determines a rent of £795.00 per calendar month with effect from 1 March 2025. ____________________________________

FIRST - TIER TRIBUNAL PROPERTY CHAMBER (RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY)

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REASONS FOR THE DECISION

Background

1. On 2 January 2025, the Landlord served a notice under Section 13(2) of the Housing Act 1988 (“the Act”) which proposed a new rent of £795.00 per calendar month (pcm), in place of the existing rent of £675.00 pcm, to take effect from 1 March 2025. The tenancy commenced on 1 November 2020.

2. By an application received on 17 February 2025, under Section 13(4)(a) of the Act, the Tenant referred the Landlord’s notice proposing a new rent to the Tribunal for determination of a market rent.

Inspection

3. The Tribunal has not carried out an inspection of the Property. Neither party requested an oral hearing. Accordingly, the Tribunal has considered this case on the basis of the papers provided by the parties and having regard to its own knowledge, expertise and online research.

The Property

4. From information provided by the parties, with the Tribunal’s own research, confirmed essential details of the Property as a basement/ground floor flat, offering the following accommodation which benefits from central heating and double glazing with private parking:

Living room/kitchen, Two bedrooms, bathroom and storeroom/utility.

The Property is situated close to the centre of the conurbation with amenities in close proximity.

Evidence

The Tenant

5. The Tenant did not make any submissions beyond that which was contained in the application form.

The Landlord

3 6. The Landlord confirmed that following a flooding event in 2023, the entire property was redecorated, carpets replaced and in addition, repaired/refurbished the bathroom and installed a new boiler.

7. In respect of the rent, the Landlord stated that they considered the proposed increase conservative and believed that the open market rental value would be between £805.00 and £830.00 pcm.

The following comparables were provided by the Landlord (all two bed flats):

a) Ground Floor Hartshill House (adjacent block). This is let at £795.00 pcm and is considered by the Landlord as a direct comparable as it was built by the same developer with similar layout and condition.

b) Elizabeth House, off [ADDRESS]. The Landlord states that this property was let at £875.00 pcm and is in close proximity to the subject.

c) 4 Fairways House – directly above subject. The Landlord states that this is currently let at £770.00 pcm but due to the recent refurbishment and improvement to the subject property is slightly inferior and would command a lower rental.

d) First Floor Hartshill House. This property was recently let at £775.00 The Landlord considers that flats at first floor level would command lower rentals than those on the ground floor. In addition, this property does not benefit from a utility room.

Determination and Valuation

8. With the exception of the property situated in Elizabeth House, the Tribunal considers the comparables provided by the Landlord are relevant to this matter. The property in Elizabeth House would appear to an outlier in terms of the evidence available to the Tribunal.

9. Relying on its own expert, general knowledge of rental values in the area, and the comparables provided by the Landlord, the Tribunal considers that the proposed rental of £795.00 pcm represents the market rent.

12. Therefore, the Tribunal determines the market rent at £795.00 with effect from 1 March 2025.

Chairman: [NAME]

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APPEAL PROVISIONS

If either party is dissatisfied with this decision, they may apply for permission to appeal to the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) on any point of law arising from this Decision. Prior to making such an appeal, an application must be made, in writing, to this Tribunal for permission to appeal. Any such application must be made within 28 days of the issue of this statement of reasons (regulation 52 (2) of The Tribunal Procedure (First-tier Tribunal) (Property Chamber) Rules 2013) stating the grounds upon which it is intended to rely in the appeal.

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First-tier Tribunal – Property Chamber File Ref No. BIR/00CN/MNR/2025/0629

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

Housing Act 1988 Section 14

Address of Premises The Tribunal members were. [ADDRESS] on Trent [POSTCODE]

[NAME] [NAME]

Landlord [APPELLANT]

Tenant

[APPELLANT]

1. The rent is: £795.00 Per month (excluding water rates and council tax but including any amounts in paras 3)

2. The date the decision takes effect is: 1 March 2025

3. The amount included for services is not applicable

Per

4. Date assured tenancy commenced 1 November 2020 5. Length of the term or rental period Monthly 6. Allocation of liability for repairs Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 7. Furniture provided by landlord or superior landlord

8. Description of premises Flat with two bedrooms.

[NAME] of Decision 29 August 2025