First-tier Tribunal Sets Fair Rent of £190 Per Week
📌 In brief
The First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) decided that a tenant should pay a fair rent of £190 per week, excluding water rates and council tax but including services, following the guidelines set by the Rent Act 1977.
⚖️ Legal holding
A tenant is entitled to a fair rent calculation according to the Rent Act 1977.
📖 Technical summary
The Tribunal sets a fair rent of £190 per week, excluding certain costs but including services.
📜 Headnote Official document
The First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) determined a fair rent of £190 per week for a tenant, excluding water rates and council tax but including services, as per the Rent Act 1977.
📚 Full judgment Official document
OUTCOME: Allowed
First-tier Tribunal – Property Chamber File Ref No. LON/00BE/F77/2020/0110
Notice of the Tribunal Decision
Rent Act 1977 Schedule 11
Address of Premises The Tribunal members were [ADDRESS], [POSTCODE]
[NAME]
Landlord [NAME]
Tenant Mrs [APPELLANT]
1. The fair rent is £190.00 Per Week (excluding water rates and council tax but including any amounts in paras 3&4)
2. The effective date is 21 April 2021
3. The amount for services is £6.92 Per Week
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
Heating by Night Storage heaters. Accommodation stated on application to be on 1st floor.
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 £196.50 per Week including £6.92 per week for services prescribed by the Order.
[NAME] of decision 21 April 2021
MAXIMUM FAIR RENT CALCULATION
LATEST RPI FIGURE X 296
PREVIOUS RPI FIGURE Y 276
X 296 Minus Y 276 = (A) 20
(A) 20 Divided by Y 276 = (B) 0.07246
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) 1.12246
Last registered rent* £175 Multiplied by (C) = £196.43 *(exclusive of any variable service charge)
Rounded up to nearest 50p = £196.50
Variable service charge NO If YES add amount for services
MAXIMUM FAIR RENT = £196.50 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 11 similar decisions in this collection:
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) First-tier Tribunal Determines Fair Rent for Croydon Property
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) First-tier Tribunal Sets Fair Rent of £115 Per Week
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets Fair Rent Below Maximum Limit
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Determines New Fair Rent for Tenancy Under Rent Act 1977
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) First-tier Tribunal Sets Maximum Fair Rent for Property
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) First-tier Tribunal Sets Fair Rent at £620 Per Month
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets Fair Rent Under Rent Act 1977
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) First-tier Tribunal Determines Fair Rent for Property
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets Maximum Fair Rent Under Rent Act 1977
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets Fair Rent for Tenancy Considering Market Values
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) First-tier Tribunal Determines Fair Rent for Property in Cirencester
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 is entitled to a fair rent calculation according to the Rent Act 1977.
- Fair rent should reflect the current market conditions and the state of the property.
- Adjustments for improvements made by the tenant are considered in the fair rent calculation.
- The fair rent takes into account the property's condition, market value, and scarcity in the locality.
- The Retail Price Index is used in determining the maximum fair rent.
❌ Tends to be rejected
- (No 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 a fair rent of £190 per week for a tenant.
Who was involved?
A tenant and a landlord.
How did the court decide, and why?
The court followed the guidelines set by the Rent Act 1977 to determine the fair rent.
Which laws or rules were applied?
The Rent Act 1977 and the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999.
What was the argument that mattered most?
The calculation of the maximum fair rent based on the Retail Price Index (RPI).
Was the decision for or against the person who brought the case?
For the tenant.
What does this mean for someone in a similar situation?
Someone in a similar situation can expect their fair rent to be calculated similarly, considering current economic indicators.
What evidence or documents mattered?
The application for re-registration and the relevant calculations based on the RPI.
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 advisable to seek legal advice from a qualified solicitor for cases involving fair rent determinations.
