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AllowedFirst-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber)·

First-tier Tribunal Sets New Fair Rent Under Rent Act 1977

Case No.

📌 In brief

The First-tier Tribunal decided on a new fair rent for a property, setting it at £904.50 per month. This decision was made according to the Rent Act 1977 and took into account the Retail Price Index.

⚖️ Legal holding

A tenant is entitled to a fair rent calculation under the Rent Act 1977, taking into account the Retail Price Index and relevant regulations.

Topics

fair rentRent Act 1977retail price index

Provisions

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

📖 Technical summary

The Tribunal sets a new fair rent for a property under the Rent Act 1977.

📜 Headnote Official document

The First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) determined a new fair rent of £904.50 per month for a property, applying the Rent Act 1977 and the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999.

📚 Full judgment Official document

OUTCOME: Allowed

FR24 First-tier Tribunal – Property Chamber File Ref No. JM/LON/00AF/F77/2021/0178

Notice of the Tribunal Decision

Rent Act 1977 Schedule 11

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

[NAME](Hons) LLM Property Law MA

Landlord [APPELLANT]

Tenant Mrs [APPELLANT]

1. The fair rent is 904.50 Per Calendar Month (excluding water rates and council tax but including any amounts in paras 3&4)

2. The effective date is 17 June 2021

3. The amount for services is £98.05 Per Annum

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

n/a Per Annum

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.

[NAME] MA LLM FRICS Date of decision 17 June 2021

FR24 MAXIMUM FAIR RENT CALCULATION

LATEST RPI FIGURE X 301.9

PREVIOUS RPI FIGURE Y 285.6

X 301.9 Minus Y 285.6 = (A) 16.3

(A) 16.3 Divided by Y 285.6 = (B) 0.[PHONE]

First application for re-registration since 1 February 1999 NO

If yes (B) plus 1.075 = (C)

If no (B) plus 1.05 = (C) 1.107072829

Last registered rent* £817 Multiplied by (C) = £904.47 *(exclusive of any variable service charge)

Rounded up to nearest 50p = £904.50

Variable service charge NO If YES add amount for services

MAXIMUM FAIR RENT = £904.50 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:

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 calculated using the latest Retail Price Index figure of 301.9.
  • The previous Retail Price Index figure used for calculation was 285.6.
  • The calculation included an additional 5% because it was not the first application for re-registration since February 1999.
  • The last registered rent of £817 was multiplied by the calculated factor to determine the new rent.
  • The final calculated 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?

It set a new fair rent of £904.50 per month for a property.

Who was involved?

The tenant and the landlord were involved.

How did the court decide, and why?

The court used the Rent Act 1977 and considered the Retail Price Index to determine the fair rent.

Which laws or rules were applied?

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

What was the argument that mattered most?

The argument centered around the calculation method for determining the fair rent.

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 should consider the Retail Price Index and relevant regulations when seeking a fair rent determination.

What evidence or documents mattered?

The Retail Price Index figures and the relevant regulations were crucial.

Can a decision like this be appealed?

Yes, decisions like this can often be appealed to a higher court.

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

It is recommended to seek legal advice from a qualified solicitor for cases involving fair rent determinations.

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.