Tribunal sets £154 weekly fair rent for assured tenancy in London
📌 In brief
The First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) decided on the maximum fair rent for a property under the Rent Act 1977. They used the Retail Price Index and specific regulations to calculate the rent, ensuring it is fair and reasonable.
⚖️ Legal holding
A tenant is entitled to a maximum fair rent calculation under the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999, specifically rounding up to the nearest 50p after applying the formula to the latest RPI figures.
📖 Technical summary
The Tribunal set a maximum fair rent of £154 per week for an assured tenancy, applying the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999 formula.
📜 Headnote Official document
The First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) determined the maximum fair rent for a property under the Rent Act 1977, considering the Retail Price Index and the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999. The decision was made on 7 June 2023 by Mr Charles Norman and Mr John Naylor.
📚 Full judgment Official document
OUTCOME: Allowed
FR24 First-tier Tribunal – Property Chamber File Ref No. JM/LON/00AM/F77/2023/0096
Notice of the Tribunal Decision
Rent Act 1977 Schedule 11
Address of Premises The Tribunal members were 40b [ADDRESS], [POSTCODE]
[NAME] Mr [APPELLANT]
Landlord [COMPANY]
Tenant Mr [APPELLANT]
1. The fair rent is £154.00 Per Week (excluding water rates and council tax but including any amounts in paras 3&4)
2. The effective date is 7 June 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 £198 per week.
[NAME] of decision 7 June 2023
FR24 MAXIMUM FAIR RENT CALCULATION
LATEST RPI FIGURE X 372.8
PREVIOUS RPI FIGURE Y 275.3
X 372.8 Minus Y 275.3 = (A) 97.50
(A) 97.50 Divided by Y 275.3 = (B) .3542
First application for re-registration since 1 February 1999 NO
If yes (B) plus 1.075 = (C)
If no (B) plus 1.05 = (C) 1.4042
Last registered rent* 109.5 Multiplied by (C) = 153.76 *(exclusive of any variable service charge)
Rounded up to nearest 50p = 154.00
Variable service charge NO If YES add amount for services
MAXIMUM FAIR RENT = £154 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:
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Decision — Case 4136445
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal sets £123.50 weekly rent for assured tenancy in Manchester
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal sets maximum fair rent for property using RPI formula
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal sets £1268/month rent for assured tenancy in London
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal sets £163/week rent for assured tenancy in London
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) First-tier Tribunal Determines Maximum Fair Rent for Tenancy
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets £452.50/week Maximum Fair Rent for Assured Tenancy in London
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets Fair Rent of £252 Per Week Under Rent Act 1977
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) First-tier Tribunal Sets Maximum Fair Rent Using Rent Acts Formula
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Caps Fair Rent at £190 Per Week
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal sets £275/week rent for assured tenancy in Fulham
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets £828/Month Rent for Assured Tenancy in London
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 was calculated using the Retail Price Index figures.
- The calculation used the latest RPI figure of 372.8.
- The previous RPI figure used in the calculation was 275.3.
- A 5% increase was applied because this was not the first application for re-registration since February 1999.
- The last registered rent of £109.5 was multiplied by the calculated factor to determine the new rent.
- The final maximum fair rent was rounded up to the nearest 50 pence.
Patterns observed in similar cases in this collection — every case is unique.
❓ Frequently asked questions
What did this decision decide?
The Tribunal decided to set a new fair rent of £154 per week for an assured tenancy.
What was the dispute about?
The dispute was about the calculation of a fair rent for an assured tenancy using the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999 formula.
How did the court decide, and why?
The court decided to set the fair rent at £154 per week, applying the formula under the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999, which considers the latest Retail Price Index (RPI) figures and the previous registered 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 argument that mattered most was the application of the formula under the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999 to calculate the fair rent.
Was the decision for or against the person who brought the case?
The decision was for the person who brought the case, setting a fair rent of £154 per week.
What does this mean for someone in a similar situation?
For someone in a similar situation, they can expect their fair rent to be calculated using the same formula under the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999.
What evidence or documents mattered?
The judgment does not specify the evidence or documents that mattered.
