Tribunal Sets £640/Month Fair Rent for Assured Tenancy in London
📌 In brief
The First-tier Tribunal decided on the fair rent for a rented property. They set the rent at £640 per month, excluding some costs like water rates and council tax, but including fuel charges. This decision was made according to the Rent Act 1977.
⚖️ Legal holding
A tenant is entitled to a fair rent calculation under the Rent Act 1977, taking into account the latest Retail Price Index figures and previous registered rents.
📖 Technical summary
The Tribunal set a fair rent of £640.00 per month for an assured tenancy, excluding certain charges but including others.
📜 Headnote Official document
The First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) determined the fair rent for a property to be £640 per month, excluding water rates and council tax, but including fuel charges, under the Rent Act 1977.
📚 Full judgment Official document
OUTCOME: Allowed
FR24 First-tier Tribunal – Property Chamber File Ref No. LON/00AN/F77/2019/0106
Notice of the Tribunal Decision
Rent Act 1977 Schedule 11
Address of Premises The Tribunal members were 2nd floor flat, 7 [ADDRESS], [POSTCODE]
[NAME] Mr [APPELLANT]
[APPELLANT]
Tenant Mr [APPELLANT]
1. The fair rent is £640.00 Per Month (excluding water rates and council tax but including any amounts in paras 3&4)
2. The effective date is 31 July 2019
3. The amount for services is
Per
negligible
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 £709 per month prescribed by the Order.
[NAME] of decision 31 July 2019
FR24 MAXIMUM FAIR RENT CALCULATION
LATEST RPI FIGURE X 289.2
PREVIOUS RPI FIGURE Y 269.3
X 289.2 Minus Y 269.3 = (A) 19.9
(A) 19.9 Divided by Y 269.3 = (B) 0.073895
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) 1.123895
Last registered rent* 630.50 Multiplied by (C) = 708.62 *(exclusive of any variable service charge)
Rounded up to nearest 50p = 709
Variable service charge NO If YES add amount for services
MAXIMUM FAIR RENT = £709 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.
📊 How courts decide similar cases
Among 12 similar decisions in this collection:
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) First-tier Tribunal Sets Fair Rent of £124.00 Per Week
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) First-tier Tribunal sets fair rent of £87.00 per week under Rent Act 1977
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) First-tier Tribunal Sets Fair Rent of £552.50 Under Rent Act 1977
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) First-tier Tribunal Determines Fair Rent of £325 Per Week
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets £2,232.50 Fair Rent for Assured Tenancy in London
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) First-tier Tribunal sets fair rent of £120 per week for property
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets £968 Monthly Rent for Assured Tenancy in London
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Decision — Case 4136284
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Determines Fair Rent for Tenant Under Rent Act 1977
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets £3,380/Quarter Fair Rent for Assured Tenancy in London
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Decision — Case 4135524
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) First-tier Tribunal Sets New Fair Rent of £538 Per Month
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 fair rent was determined to be £640.00 per month.
- The effective date for the fair rent calculation was set as 31 July 2019.
- The amount for services was considered negligible.
- The capping provisions of the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999 apply.
- The fair rent to be registered was not limited by the Maximum Fair Rent Order because it was below the maximum of £709 per month.
Patterns observed in similar cases in this collection — every case is unique.
❓ Frequently asked questions
What did this decision decide?
The Tribunal set a fair rent of £640.00 per month for an assured tenancy.
What was the dispute about?
The dispute was about the fair rent amount for an assured tenancy, specifically whether it should be £640.00 per month.
How did the court decide, and why?
The court decided to set the fair rent at £640.00 per month, based on the latest Retail Price Index figures and the previous registered 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 argument centered on the calculation of the fair rent using the latest Retail Price Index figures and the previous registered rent.
Was the decision for or against the person who brought the case?
The decision was for the person who brought the case, setting the fair rent at £640.00 per month.
What does this mean for someone in a similar situation?
Someone in a similar situation can expect their fair rent to be assessed based on the latest Retail Price Index figures and the previous registered rent.
What evidence or documents mattered?
The judgment does not specify the evidence or documents that mattered.
