First-tier Tribunal Sets New Rent for Assured Tenancy

OUTCOME: Allowed

MR22 First-tier Tribunal – Property Chamber File Ref No. LON/00AU/MNR/2025/0814

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 [ADDRESS] [POSTCODE]

Mr D [NAME]

Landlord [COMPANY] 45 [ADDRESS] [POSTCODE]

Tenant [APPELLANT]

1. The rent is: £ 1600 Per Month (excluding water rates and council tax but including any amounts in paras 3)

2. The date the decision takes effect is: 11 May 2025

*3. The amount included for services is not applicable

Per

*4. Service charges are not included

5. Date assured tenancy commenced 11 June 2018

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 converted flat forming part of a Victorian terrace building. Accommodation comprises bedroom, kitchen, living room, bathroom/WC..

[NAME] [NAME] of Decision 28 August 2025

1

Case Reference

: LON/00AU/MNR/2025/0814

Property : [ADDRESS] [POSTCODE]

Tenant

: [COUNSEL]

Landlord : [COMPANY] : None

Date of Objection : 25 April 2025

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

Tribunal

: Mr [NAME] [NAME] of Summary Reasons : 28 August 2025

_______________________________________________

DECISION

The Tribunal determines a rent of £1,600 per calendar month with effect from 11 May 2025. ____________________________________

FIRST - TIER TRIBUNAL PROPERTY CHAMBER (RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY)

2 © CROWN COPYRIGHT 2023

SUMMARY REASONS

Background

1. The Landlord served a notice under Section 13(2) of the Housing Act 1988 dated 7 April 2025 which proposed a new rent of £636.96 per month (inclusive of £27.31 service charge) in place of the existing rent of £619.76 per month to take effect from 11 May 2025.

2. On the 25 April 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 tenant.

Determination and Valuation

5. Having consideration of the evidence provided by the tenant and our own expert, general knowledge of rental values in the Stoke Newington area, we consider that the open market rent for the property in good lettable condition with modern fittings and services would be £1,750 per month.

6. The Tribunal has considered carefully the party’s submissions and using its own expertise, we consider a deduction of £150 per month should be applied to take into account no white goods provided by the Landlord and single glazed window units. This reduces the rental figure to £1,600 per month. 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

8. 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 £1,600 per calendar month.

9. The Tribunal directs the new rent of £1,600 per month to take effect on the 11 May 2025. This being the date of the Landlord’s notice.

3 10. 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]: 28 August 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.