First-tier Tribunal sets maximum fair rent for property
📌 In brief
The First-tier Tribunal has decided the maximum fair rent for a property should be £927.00 per month. This decision was made according to the Rent Act 1977 and the Retail Price Index.
⚖️ Legal holding
The maximum fair rent for a property is calculated based on the percentage change in the retail price index and a fixed percentage increase.
📖 Technical summary
The Tribunal determined the maximum fair rent for a property based on the Rent Act 1977 and the Retail Price Index.
📜 Headnote Official document
The First-tier Tribunal determined the maximum fair rent for a property to be £927.00 per month, excluding water rates and council tax but including fuel charges, based on the Rent Act 1977 and the Retail Price Index.
📚 Full judgment Official document
OUTCOME: Allowed
FR24 First-tier Tribunal – Property Chamber File Ref No. JM/LON/00AW/F77/2023/0128
Notice of the Tribunal Decision
Rent Act 1977 Schedule 11
Address of Premises The Tribunal members were [ADDRESS], [POSTCODE]
[NAME] Mr [RESPONDENT]
Landlord [APPELLANT]
Tenant Mr [APPELLANT]
1. The fair rent is £927.00 Per Calendar Month (excluding water rates and council tax but including any amounts in paras 3&4)
2. The effective date is 3rd July 2023
3. The amount for services is not applicable Per
4. The amount for fuel charges (excluding heating and lighting of common parts) not counting for rent allowance is
not applicable Per
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 the maximum fair rent as prescribed by the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999. The rent that would otherwise have been registered was £999.00 per month.
[NAME] of decision 3rd July 2023
FR24 MAXIMUM FAIR RENT CALCULATION
LATEST RPI FIGURE X 372.8
PREVIOUS RPI FIGURE Y 301.1
X 372.8 Minus Y 301.1 = (A) 71.7
(A) 71.7 Divided by Y 301.1 = (B) 0.2381
First application for re-registration since 1 February 1999 NO
If yes (B) plus 1.075 = (C)
If no (B) plus 1.05 = (C) 1.2881
Last registered rent* 719.50 Multiplied by (C) = 926.78 *(exclusive of any variable service charge)
Rounded up to nearest 50p = 927.00
Variable service charge NO If YES add amount for services
MAXIMUM FAIR RENT = £927.00 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 Determines Fair Rent for London Basement Flat
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- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Caps Tenant's Rent at £187.50 Per Week
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- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) First-tier Tribunal Determines Fair Rent for Property
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) First-tier Tribunal Determines Fair Rent for Property
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets Fair Rent for Property Under Rent Act 1977
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 maximum fair rent is calculated by increasing the previous registered rent by the percentage change in the retail price index.
- A further 5% was added to the calculation because this was a second or subsequent application since February 1, 1999.
- The calculated rent was rounded up to the nearest 50 pence to determine the final maximum fair rent.
- The latest RPI figure used in the calculation was from the calendar month immediately before the Tribunal's determination.
Patterns observed in similar cases in this collection — every case is unique.
❓ Frequently asked questions
What did this decision decide?
The maximum fair rent for the property was set at £927.00 per month.
Who was involved?
The landlord and the tenant were involved.
How did the court decide, and why?
The court used the Rent Act 1977 and the Retail Price Index to calculate the maximum fair rent.
Which laws or rules were applied?
The Rent Act 1977 and the Retail Price Index were used.
What was the argument that mattered most?
The calculation of the maximum fair rent based on the Retail Price Index was crucial.
Was the decision for or against the person who brought the case?
The decision was 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.
What evidence or documents mattered?
The Retail Price Index figures and the previous registered rent were important.
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?
It is recommended to seek advice from a qualified solicitor for cases involving fair rent determinations.
