First-tier Tribunal sets fair rent at £222.50 per week

OUTCOME: Other

FR27 First-tier Tribunal – Property Chamber File Ref No. LON/OOBG/F77/2026/0044

Notice of the Tribunal Decision

Rent Act 1977 Schedule 11

Address of Premises The Tribunal members were 595A [ADDRESS] [POSTCODE]

[NAME] Judge Agnew P Joseph MRICS

Landlord [COMPANY]

[NAME]

1. The fair rent is £222.50 Per week (excluding water rates and council tax but including any amounts in paras 3&4)

2. The effective date is 23 April 2026

3. The amount for services is n/a Per n/a

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 n/a

negligible/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.

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

n/a

8. For information only:

(a) The fair rent to be registered is not the section 70 fair rent because the rent determined under the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999 is lower.

[NAME] of decision 23 April 2026

FR27 MAXIMUM FAIR RENT CALCULATION

LATEST RPI FIGURE X 408.2

PREVIOUS RPI FIGURE Y 294.2

X 408.2 Minus Y 294.2 = (A) 114.0

(A) 114.0 Divided by Y 294.2 = (B) 0.38749

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) 1.43749

Last registered rent* £154.50 per week Multiplied by (C) = £222.09 *(exclusive of any variable service charge)

Rounded up to nearest 50p = £222.50

Variable service charge no If YES add amount for services n/a

MAXIMUM FAIR RENT = £222.50 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.

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Case Reference

: LON/00BG/F77/2026/0044

Property : 595A [ADDRESS] [POSTCODE]

Tenant

: Ms [APPELLANT]

Landlord : [COMPANY] of Objection : 30 December 2025

Type of Application : Section 70, Rent Act 1977

Tribunal

: [NAME] Judge S Agnew P Joseph MRICS

Date 0f Decision : 23 April 2026

_______________________________________________

DECISION

The sum of £222.50 per week, will be registered as the fair rent with effect from 23 April 2026, being the date the Tribunal made the Decision. ____________________________________

© CROWN COPYRIGHT 2026

Full REASONS

FIRST - TIER TRIBUNAL PROPERTY CHAMBER (RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY)

2 Background

1. The landlord submitted an application, dated 8 October 2025, to register a fair rent of £197.67 per week. Previous to the application the Rent Officer had registered a fair rent of £154.50 per week from 7 July 2020.

2. Following the application the Rent Officer registered a fair rent of £222.00 per week effective from 3 December 2025. Following an objection from the tenant on 30 December 2025 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.

3. Directions were issued on 24 February 2026.

The Property 4. Neither party requested an inspection nor hearing, and the Tribunal considered this to be proportionate. The property is described in the Rent Register as a self-contained converted flat, modernised with full central heating, comprising two rooms, one kitchen, one bathroom and one WC.

Evidence

Submission by the tenant

5. The tenant has made no submissions other than the objection letter in which they expressed concern over the affordability of the rent increase.

Submission by the landlord

9. The landlord has made no submissions to the Tribunal prior to the hearing

Nature of flat to be determined

10. The Tribunal determines that the property the subject of the determination is a one-bedroom flat with an assumed condition that was present at the start of the tenancy which was 22 April 1985.

Determination and Valuation

Valuation

11. In determining the level of rent for the fair rent, the Tribunal must carry out a valuation under section 70 of the Rent Act 1977 and then an assessment under the Rent Acts(Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999.The latter assessment is dependent on the inflation rate between the last registered rent and the date of the current determination which is the date of hearing. The tribunal must then adopt the lower of the two figures as the fair rent to be registered.

12. Having consideration of the comparable evidence proved by the parties and our own expert general knowledge of rental values in the area, the Tribunal

3 adopts the figure of £2000.00 per calendar month, for the Property described in paragraph 4.

13. From this level of rent we have made adjustments in relation to: (i) terms and conditions of the tenancy that is the tenant is responsible for internal decoration which is more onerous than contemporary tenancies from which the comparables are derived (ii) the condition as at the start of the tenancy compared with the condition of properties in a contemporary letting (iii) the supply of curtains , carpets and white goods.

14. The Tribunal has also made an adjustment for scarcity at 20%.

Market Rent

£2000.00 pcm

Less: 25% for (i) to (iii) above; and 20% scarcity £900.00 pcm

£1100.00 pcm -----------------------------------

This is equivalent to £ 253.83 per week, rounded to £ 254.00 per week.

15. The Tribunal determines a rent under section 70 of £254.00 per week

Decision

16. The rent calculated under section 70 Rent Act 1977 is £254.00 per week

17. The rent calculated under the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999 is £222.50 per week. The rent calculated under section 70 of the Rent Act 1977 rent is higher than the rent calculated under the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999. Therefore, the tribunal determines the rent to be registered is £222.50 per week with effect from 23 April 2026.

Chairman: [NAME]: 23 April 2026

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Appeal to the Upper Tribunal A person wishing to appeal this decision to the Upper Tribunal (Property Chamber) on a point of law must seek permission to do so by making a written application to the First-tier Tribunal at the Regional Office which has been dealing with the case which application must: a. be received by the said office within 28 days after the Tribunal sends to the person making the application written reasons for the decision. b. identify the decision of the Tribunal to which it relates, state the grounds of appeal, and state the result the party making the application is seeking. If the application is not received within the 28 –day time limit, it must include a request for an extension of time and the reason for it not complying with the 28- day time limit; the Tribunal will then decide whether to extend time or not to allow the application for permission to appeal to proceed.