Tribunal Sets £168/week Fair Rent for Assured Tenancy in Birmingham
📌 In brief
The First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) decided on a fair rent for a property, setting it at £168.00 per week, following the guidelines of the Rent Act 1977 and considering the Retail Price Index.
⚖️ Legal holding
A tenant is entitled to a fair rent calculation that accounts for changes in the retail price index and additional percentages as prescribed by the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999, resulting in a maximum fair rent of £177.00 per week in this case.
📖 Technical summary
The Tribunal increased the fair rent to £168.00 per week, excluding certain charges but including others.
📜 Headnote Official document
The First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) determined a fair rent of £168.00 per week for a property, excluding water rates and council tax but including fuel charges, under 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. BIR/44UD/F77/2024/0016
Notice of the Tribunal Decision
Rent Act 1977 Schedule 11
Address of Premises The Tribunal members were 4 Wentworth Gate Harborne Birmingham [POSTCODE]
[NAME] Mrs [APPELLANT]
Landlord BPT ([APPELLANT]) Ltd
Tenant Mr [APPELLANT]
1. The fair rent is £168.00 Per Week (excluding water rates and council tax but including any amounts in paras 3&4)
2. The effective date is 4th June 2024
3. The amount for services is ------------------------- Per -------------------------
negligible/not applicable
4. The amount for fuel charges (excluding heating and lighting of common parts) not counting for rent allowance is ------------------------ Per -----------------------
negligible/not applicable
5. The rent is/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)/ do not apply because 1st registration/15% exemption.
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 £150.00 per Week including £ per for services (variable).
(b) The fair rent to be registered is not limited by the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999, because it is the same as/below the maximum fair rent of £177.00 per Week including £ per for services (variable) prescribed by the Order.
[NAME] of decision 4th June 2024
FR24 MAXIMUM FAIR RENT CALCULATION
LATEST RPI FIGURE X 385.0
PREVIOUS RPI FIGURE Y 317.7
X 385.0 Minus Y 317.7 = (A) 67.3 (A) 67.3 Divided by Y 317.7 = (B) 0.2118
First application for re-registration since 1 February 1999 YES/NO
If yes (B) plus 1.075 = (C)
If no (B) plus 1.05 = (C) 1.2618
Last registered rent* 140.00 Multiplied by (C) = 176.65 *(exclusive of any variable service charge)
Rounded up to nearest 50p = 177.00
Variable service charge YES / NO If YES add amount for services
MAXIMUM FAIR RENT = £177.00 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) Tribunal Sets £4960/Quarter Fair Rent for Assured Tenancy in London
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal sets £12,000/year rent for assured tenancy in London
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal sets £346.50 weekly fair rent for assured tenancy in London
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal sets £232.43 weekly rent for assured tenancy in London
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal sets £244.99/week fair rent for assured tenancy in London
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Determines Fair Rent for Tenancy Agreement
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal sets £1,100/month rent for assured tenancy in Harrow
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal sets fair rent of £195 per week for property
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) First-tier Tribunal Sets Fair Rent Based on Retail Price Index
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets £209.50 Weekly Rent for Assured Tenancy in Croydon
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets £132.96 Weekly Fair Rent for Furnished Assured Tenancy in Cla…
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Decision — Case 4135525
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 tenant is entitled to a fair rent calculation under the Rent Act 1977.
- The fair rent calculation takes into account the Retail Price Index.
- Relevant orders and regulations are considered in the fair rent calculation.
Patterns observed in similar cases in this collection — every case is unique.
❓ Frequently asked questions
What did this decision decide?
The Tribunal set a new fair rent of £168 per week for an assured tenancy in Harborne, Birmingham.
What was the dispute about?
The dispute was about adjusting the fair rent for an assured tenancy based on the Retail Price Index.
How did the court decide, and why?
The court decided to increase the fair rent to £168 per week, considering the Retail Price Index and relevant regulations.
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 that mattered most was the calculation of the fair rent based on the Retail Price Index.
Was the decision for or against the person who brought the case?
The decision was for the person who brought the case, setting a new fair rent of £168 per week.
What does this mean for someone in a similar situation?
Someone in a similar situation can expect their fair rent to be adjusted based on the Retail Price Index and relevant regulations.
What evidence or documents mattered?
The judgment does not specify the exact evidence or documents that mattered.
