First-tier Tribunal Sets New Market Rent for Assured Tenancy

OUTCOME: Allowed

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Case Reference

: LON/00BE/MNR/2025/0737

Property : 36 [ADDRESS] [POSTCODE]

Tenant

: [APPELLANT]

Landlord : [COMPANY] : None

Date of Objection : 10 March 2025

Type of Application : Determination of a Market Rent sections 13 & 14 of the Housing Act 1988

Tribunal

: Mr [NAME] [NAME] of Summary Reasons : 23 September 2025

_______________________________________________

DECISION

The Tribunal determines a rent of £590 per calendar week with effect from 7 April 2025. ____________________________________ FIRST - TIER TRIBUNAL PROPERTY CHAMBER (RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY)

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SUMMARY REASONS

Background

1. The Landlord served a notice under Section 13(2) of the Housing Act 1988 dated 27 January 2025 which proposed a new rent of £560.01 per week in place of the existing rent of £545.29 per week to take effect from 7 April 2025. This being an increase of £14.72 per week, which equates to 2.7% based upon the government set formula.

2. On the 10 March 2025 under Section 13(4)(a) of the Housing Act 1988, the Tenant referred the Landlord’s notice proposing a new rent to the Tribunal for determination of a market rent.

3. The parties did not request a hearing or an inspection to determine this matter and the Tribunal agreed with this arrangement. Therefore, this case was considered on the basis of the papers provided by the parties with the assistance of Rightmove and Google Maps.

Evidence

4. The Tribunal has received a completed statement from the landlord.

Determination and Valuation

5. Having consideration of the evidence provided by the parties and our own expert, general knowledge of rental values in the New Cross area, we consider that the open market rent for the property in good lettable condition with modern fittings and services would be £640 per week.

6. The Tribunal did not receive any submissions from the parties regarding the condition of the property, however, using its own expertise, we consider a deduction of £50 per week should be applied to take into account no white goods provided by the Landlord. This reduces the rental figure to £590 per week. It should be noted that this figure cannot be a simple arithmetical calculation and is not based on capital costs but is the Tribunal’s estimate of the amount by which the rent would need to be reduced to attract a tenant.

Decision

7. The Tribunal therefore determined that the rent at which the subject property might reasonably be expected to be let in the open market by a willing Landlord under an assured tenancy in its current condition was £590 per calendar week.

8. The Tribunal directs the new rent of £590 per week to take effect on the 7 April 2025. This being the date in the Landlord’s notice.

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9. It is often the case that market rents are in excess of those that maybe charged by social landlord’s as it is a significant part of their remit to provide affordable housing. As such depending on the type of tenancy agreement their calculation of rent is either at a percentage of market rent or by way of index. Comparison is made with the open market rather than limited to other properties which are offered by social housing providers. It is assumed that the landlord will by usual convention of social landlord’s not seek to increase the rent proposed in its original notice as a result of this determination.

Chairman: [NAME] [NAME]: 23 September 2025

APPEAL PROVISIONS

These summary reasons are provided to give the parties an indication as to how the Tribunal made its decision. If either party wishes to appeal this decision, they should first make a request for full reasons and the details of how to appeal will be set out in the full reasons. Any subsequent application for permission to appeal should be made on Form RP PTA.

MR22 First-tier Tribunal – Property Chamber File Ref No. LON/00BE/MNR/2025/0737

Notice of the Tribunal Decision and Register of Rents under Assured Periodic Tenancies (Section 14 Determination)

Housing Act 1988 Section 14

Address of Premises The Tribunal members were 36 [ADDRESS] [POSTCODE]

Mr D [NAME]

[COMPANY].

[ADDRESS] [POSTCODE]

Tenant [APPELLANT]

1. The rent is: £ 590 Per Week (excluding water rates and council tax but including any amounts in paras 3)

2. The date the decision takes effect is: 7 April 2025

*3. The amount included for services is not applicable

Per

*4. Service charges are not included

5. Date assured tenancy commenced 27 May 2023

6. Length of the term or rental period Monthly Assured Periodic Tenancy

7. Allocation of liability for repairs In accordance with agreement

8. Furniture provided by landlord or superior landlord None

9. Description of premises A mid terrace house with 4 bedrooms, living room, kitchen, bathroom, cloakroom, rear garden.

[NAME] [NAME] of Decision 23 September 2025