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AllowedFirst-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber)·

First-tier Tribunal Sets Maximum Fair Rent for Property

Case No.

📌 In brief

The First-tier Tribunal determined the fair rent for a property in Harrow under the Rent Act 1977, applying the formula from the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999. The decision explains how to calculate maximum fair rent and provides details of the specific case.

⚖️ Legal holding

A tenant is entitled to have their fair rent calculated according to the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999 when seeking a re-registration under the Rent Act 1977.

Topics

rent controlfair rent determination

Provisions

Rent Act 1977 Schedule 11Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999

📖 Technical summary

The Tribunal determined the fair rent for a property under the Rent Act 1977, applying the formula from the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999.

📜 Headnote Official document

The Tribunal determined the fair rent for a property under the Rent Act 1977, applying the formula from the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999. The decision sets out how to calculate the maximum fair rent and provides details of the specific case.

📚 Full judgment Official document

OUTCOME: Allowed

FR27 First-tier Tribunal – Property Chamber File Ref No. HS/LON/00AQ/F77/2023/0203

Notice of the Tribunal Decision

Rent Act 1977 Schedule 11

Address of Premises The Tribunal members were 66 [ADDRESS], [POSTCODE]

J A NAYLOR MRICS FIRPM

Landlord [APPELLANT]

[NAME] [APPELLANT]

1. The fair rent is £217.00 Per Week (excluding water rates and council tax but including any amounts in paras 3&4)

2. The effective date is 11th September 2023

3. The amount for services is Nil Per

negligible/not applicable

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

Nil Per

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 the maximum fair rent as prescribed by the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999. The rent that would otherwise have been registered was £ ............................ per ................................... including £ ...................... per ................................. for services (variable).

(b) 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 £ 242.00 ........ per week ........... including £ ......................................... per ................................. for services (variable) prescribed by the Order.

Chairman J A NAYLOR MRICS FIRPM Date of decision 11th September 2023

FR27 MAXIMUM FAIR RENT CALCULATION

LATEST RPI FIGURE X 374.20

PREVIOUS RPI FIGURE Y 305.5

X 374.2 Minus Y 305.5 = (A) 68.7

(A) 73.1 Divided by Y 305.5 = (B) .22487725

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) 1.27487725

Last registered rent* £190 week Multiplied by (C) = 1.27487725 *(exclusive of any variable service charge)

Rounded up to nearest 50p = £242.00

Variable service charge YES / NO If YES add amount for services

MAXIMUM FAIR RENT = £242.00 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 rent is adjusted based on the condition of the property.
  • The tenant's rent is set according to the Retail Price Index.
  • The tenant's rent is capped at the maximum fair rent as prescribed by the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999.
  • The tenant's rent is calculated according to the prescribed formula when seeking re-registration of a rent-controlled tenancy.
  • The tenant's rent is adjusted for the terms of their tenancy agreement and the scarcity of similar properties in the market.

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

❓ Frequently asked questions

What did this decision decide?

The Tribunal set the fair rent for a property in Harrow under the Rent Act 1977.

Who was involved?

A tenant and a landlord were involved in the case.

How did the court decide, and why?

The court applied the formula from the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999 to determine the fair rent.

Which laws or rules were applied?

The Rent Act 1977 Schedule 11 and the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999 were applied.

What was the argument that mattered most?

The formula for calculating maximum fair rent under the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999 was central to the decision.

Was the decision for or against the person who brought the case?

The decision was in favour of the tenant, setting a fair rent according to the law.

What does this mean for someone in a similar situation?

Someone seeking to re-register their rent under the Rent Act 1977 should follow the formula from the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999.

What evidence or documents mattered?

The previous registered rent and retail price index figures were important for calculating the maximum fair rent.

Can a decision like this be appealed?

Decisions of the First-tier Tribunal can generally be appealed to the Upper Tribunal, but specific rules apply.

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

It is advisable to seek legal advice from a qualified solicitor for cases involving rent determination under the Rent Act 1977.

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.