VadeLab
AllowedFirst-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber)·

First-tier Tribunal Sets Fair Rent at £192.00 Per Week

Case No.

📌 In brief

The First-tier Tribunal decided on the fair rent for a property. They set the rent at £192.00 per week, taking into account various factors like service charges and excluding items like water rates and council tax.

⚖️ Legal holding

A tenant is entitled to have their fair rent determined according to the Rent Act 1977 and the relevant regulations.

Topics

fair rent determinationRent Act 1977maximum fair rent calculation

Provisions

Rent Act 1977 Schedule 11

📖 Technical summary

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

📜 Headnote Official document

The First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) determined the fair rent for a property under the Rent Act 1977. The fair rent was set at £192.00 per week, excluding water rates and council tax but including service charges.

📚 Full judgment Official document

OUTCOME: Allowed

First-tier Tribunal – Property Chamber File Ref No. LON/00BF/F77/2021/0280

Notice of the Tribunal Decision

Rent Act 1977 Schedule 11

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

[NAME] MA LLM FRICS

Landlord [COMPANY]

Tenant Mrs [APPELLANT]

1. The fair rent is £192.00 Per week (excluding water rates and council tax but including any amounts in paras 3&4)

2. The effective date is 18th January 2022

3. The amount for services is £7.46 Per week

negligible/not applicable

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

0 Per week

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 not limited by the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999, because it is the same as/below the maximum fair rent of £ 192 per week including £ 7.46 per week for services (variable) prescribed by the Order.

[NAME] MA LLM FRICS Date of decision 18th January 2021

MAXIMUM FAIR RENT CALCULATION

LATEST RPI FIGURE X 314.3

PREVIOUS RPI FIGURE Y 291.0

X 314.3 Minus Y 291.0 = (A) 23.3

(A) 23.3 Divided by Y 291.0 = (B) 0.0800687

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) 1.1300687

Last registered rent* 178.00 Multiplied by (C) = 201.15 *(exclusive of any variable service charge)

Rounded up to nearest 50p = 201.50

Variable service charge YES / NO If YES add amount for services 7.46 per week

MAXIMUM FAIR RENT = £201.50 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.

📊 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's right to a fair rent calculation is recognized according to the Rent Act 1977.
  • The inclusion of variable service charges in the fair rent calculation is acknowledged.
  • The prescribed formula in the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999 is used for rent assessment.
  • The fair rent calculation takes into account the Retail Price Index and previous registered rent.
  • The relevant regulations under the Rent Act 1977 are applied to determine the fair rent.

❌ Tends to be rejected

  • No significant factors identified that went against the claimant in the provided cases.

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

❓ Frequently asked questions

What did this decision decide?

It set the fair rent for a property at £192.00 per week.

Who was involved?

A tenant and a landlord were involved.

How did the court decide, and why?

The court used the Rent Act 1977 and its regulations to calculate the fair rent.

Which laws or rules were applied?

The Rent Act 1977 and its Schedule 11 were applied.

What was the argument that mattered most?

The calculation of the maximum fair rent using the Retail Price Index (RPI) was crucial.

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 should ensure they understand how fair rents are calculated under the Rent Act 1977.

What evidence or documents mattered?

The evidence included the current and previous registered rents and the latest RPI figure.

Can a decision like this be appealed?

Yes, decisions like this can be appealed to a higher court.

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

Yes, it's recommended to seek legal advice from a qualified solicitor.

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.