First-tier Tribunal Sets Fair Rent at £680 Per Month

OUTCOME: Allowed

First-tier Tribunal – Property Chamber File Ref No. LON/00AL/F77/2023/0260

Notice of the Tribunal Decision

Rent Act 1977 Schedule 11

Address of Premises The Tribunal members were 47 [ADDRESS], [POSTCODE]

Mr [APPELLANT] Mr [APPELLANT]

Landlord [APPELLANT]

Tenant Miss M [APPELLANT]

1. The fair rent is 680.00 Per Month (excluding water rates and council tax but including any amounts in paras 3&4)

2. The effective date is 9th February 2024

3. The amount for services is

Per

not applicable

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

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)

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 below the maximum fair rent of £ 749.50 per month.

[NAME] of decision 9th February 2024

MAXIMUM FAIR RENT CALCULATION

LATEST RPI FIGURE X 379

PREVIOUS RPI FIGURE Y 305.5

X 379 Minus Y 305.5 = (A) 73.5

(A) 73.5 Divided by Y 305.5 = (B) 0.241

First application for re-registration since 1 February 1999 NO

If yes (B) plus 1.075 = (C)

If no (B) plus 1.05 = (C) 1.291

Last registered rent* 580.50 Multiplied by (C) = 749.43 *(exclusive of any variable service charge)

Rounded up to nearest 50p = 749.50

Variable service charge NO If YES add amount for services

MAXIMUM FAIR RENT = £749.50 Per Month

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.

Case Reference

: LON/00AL/F77/2023/0260

Property : 47 [ADDRESS] [POSTCODE]

Tenant

: Miss [APPELLANT]

Landlord : [APPELLANT] of Objection : 21st July 2023

Type of Application : Section 70, Rent Act 1977

Tribunal

: Mr [NAME] Mr [NAME] JP

Date of Summary Reasons

: 9th February 2024

_______________________________________________

DECISION

The sum of £680 per calendar month will be registered as the fair rent with effect from 9th February 2024 being the date the Tribunal made the Decision. ____________________________________

© CROWN COPYRIGHT 2023 FIRST - TIER TRIBUNAL PROPERTY CHAMBER (RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY)

SUMMARY REASONS

Background 1. Following an objection from the Tenant 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.

Inspection and Hearing

2. A hearing was due to take place at 10am on the 9th February 2024. The landlord or the tenant did not attend. Following a telephone conversation with the tenant she explained she completely forgot about this.

The Tribunal inspected the property at around 12 noon in the presence of the tenant. The Tribunal explained the formula for the calculation of the maximum fair rent. The reason for the increase is that the formula is based upon the Retail Price Index (RPI) which has seen significant growth in the past 18 during due to rampant inflation.

Evidence

3. The Tribunal has consideration of the written submissions from both parties, the evidence provided at the hearing from the Tenant and the inspection of the property.

Determination and Valuation

4. Having consideration of our own expert, general knowledge of rental values in the Greenwich area together with the Landlords comparable evidence, we consider that the open market rent for the property in its current condition would be in the region of £2,000 per calendar month. From this level of rent we have made adjustments in relation to:

Terms of tenancy, no white goods, no carpets or curtains, dated kitchen and bathroom fittings, original central heating installed by tenant and structural movement and damp, which equates to approximately 50%

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

6. The full valuation is shown below:

Market Rent £1,700 pm

Less

approx. 50%

£850 Terms and condition

Leaves

£850

Less Scarcity

approx. 20%

£170

Leaves

£680 pm

7. The Tribunal determines a rent of £680 per calendar month

Decision

8. The uncapped fair rent initially determined by the Tribunal, for the purposes of section 70, was £680 per calendar month. The capped rent for the property according to the provisions of the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999 is calculated at £749.50 per calendar month. The calculation of the capped rent is shown on the decision form. In this case the lower rent of £680 per calendar month is to be registered as the fair rent for this property effect from 9th February 2024 being the date the Tribunal made the Decision.

Chairman: [NAME]: 9th February 2024

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 subsequent application for permission to appeal should be made on Form RP PTA