First-tier Tribunal Sets Rent for Rural Property

OUTCOME: Allowed

FIRST – TIER TRIBUNAL PROPERTY CHAMBER (RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY)

Case Reference : CAM/42UC/MNR/2019/0020

Property : Farthing Drove Bungalow, Burnt Fen, Bury St Edmunds [POSTCODE]

Landlord : [APPELLANT]

Tenant : Mr [APPELLANT] of Application : to determine a rent under the Housing Act 1988

Tribunal Members : [NAME] Member

Date of inspection : 2o November 2019

Date Decision Effective: 1 October 2019 _______________________________________________

SUMMARY STATEMENT OF REASONS ____________________________________

DECISION The Tribunal determined a rent of £640.00 per month

THE PREMISES: Detached brick and tile bungalow, approx. 60 years old, with single garage, and approx. 2 acres garden and paddocks, with sheds/greenhouses etc. belonging to the Tenant. Off-road parking for 3 cars. Double glazing. Septic tank drainage – Tenant pays for emptying. Accommodation: front porch, hall, front sitting room, 3 double bedrooms, one a small double, bath/WC, rear sitting room with cupboard for water tank and immersion heater, kitchen, rear lobby with WC and [NAME] off, back door. Rear sitting room has multi-fuel stove with back boiler, which serves 5 radiators, and provides hot water, when on. Cavity wall and loft insulation.

CONDITION: External: garage dilapidated and unusable. Both front porch and back door in poor condition. Gutters leaking in places and need re-aligning. Concrete paths around Property are uneven and cracked, and appear to be suffering from subsidence.

Internal: double glazing dated and many windows draughty. Kitchen and bathroom fittings old and dated – bath panel removed due to leak behind bath. Not re-wired for at least 30 years and at least 2 electrical sockets are broken. Radiators dated. Evidence of mould in bathroom, and damp/condensation in small bedroom. [NAME] and WC in rear lobby damp, with no heating, and [APPELLANT] said WC unusable due to leaking overflow. Plaster in [NAME] cracked, and some has fallen off the wall.

TENANT’S IMPROVEMENTS: None of significance in determining rent.

LOCATION In an isolated, rural location. Nearest shop and public transport approximately 5 miles away.

THE LAW APPLIED: Section 14 Housing Act 1988

TRINUNAL’s CALCULATION Open market rent for property in good condition £1000.00 pm Deduction for lack of modern facilities, carpets, curtains and some white goods, and condition £ 360.00 pm

£ 640.00 pm

DECISION: The Committee therefore determined a rent of £640.00 per month for the Property.

Judge Lancaster

Important Note: This is a summary of the Tribunal’s reasons for its decision. Should you require more detailed reasons, they can be supplied but only if a written request for such reasons is received by the Panel Office within 21 days from the receipt of this document. The papers will then be returned to the Chair for such detailed reasons to be prepared.

Caution: For the purpose of reaching a decision the Tribunal inspected the subject property. Such inspection is not a structural survey and only takes a few minutes. Any comments about the condition of the property in this Statement of Reasons are made as a result of casual observation rather than a detailed inspection. Please do not rely upon such comments as a guide to the structural condition of the property.

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