Tribunal Sets £542.50 Fair Rent for Assured Tenancy in London
📌 In brief
The First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) has set the maximum fair rent for a tenant's property at £542.50 per month, following calculations based on the Rent Act 1977 and the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999.
⚖️ Legal holding
A tenant is entitled to a maximum fair rent calculated using the Retail Price Index (RPI) adjustment method, as applied in this case to determine a fair rent of £542.50 per month.
📖 Technical summary
The Tribunal set a new fair rent of £542.50 per month for an assured tenancy, applying the Retail Price Index (RPI) adjustment method.
📜 Headnote Official document
The First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) decided on the maximum fair rent for a property, setting it at £542.50 per month, excluding certain charges, based on the Rent Act 1977 and the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999.
📚 Full judgment Official document
OUTCOME: Allowed
Notice of the Tribunal Decision
Rent Act 1977 Schedule 11
Address of Premises The Tribunal members were 35 [ADDRESS], [POSTCODE]
[NAME]
Landlord [COMPANY]
Tenant [NAME]
1. The fair rent is £542.50 Per Calendar Month (excluding water rates and council tax but including any amounts in paras 3&4)
2. The effective date is 24 September 2020
3. The amount for services is £14.79 Per Calendar Month
4. The amount for fuel charges (excluding heating and lighting of common parts) not counting for rent allowance is
Per
not applicable
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. The rent that would otherwise have been registered was £685.05 per month including £14.79 per month for services.
Chairman E [NAME] of decision 24 September 2020
First-tier Tribunal – Property Chamber File Ref No. LON/00BG/F77/2020/0025
MAXIMUM FAIR RENT CALCULATION
LATEST RPI FIGURE X 294.2
PREVIOUS RPI FIGURE Y 278.1
X 294.2 Minus Y 278.1 = (A) 16.1
(A) 16.1 Divided by Y 278.1 = (B) 0.057893
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) 1.107893
Last registered rent* £489 Multiplied by (C) = £542.27 *(exclusive of any variable service charge)
Rounded up to nearest 50p = £542.50
Variable service charge NO If YES add amount for services
MAXIMUM FAIR RENT = £542.50 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:
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Decision — Case 4169608
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets £9675.50/year Fair Rent for Assured Tenancy in London
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets £1,050/Month Fair Rent for Assured Tenancy in Epsom
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets £152/Week Fair Rent for Assured Tenancy in West Midlands
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets Fair Rent for Property Adjusting for Tenant Improvements
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets £5356.80/Quarter Rent for Assured Tenancy in London
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets £1,400/Month Fair Rent for Assured Tenancy in Northumberland
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets Fair Rent of £830 Per Month
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Fair Rent Calculation for Tenants Under the Rent Act 1977
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal sets £280.50 rent for assured tenancy in West London
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 based on the Rent Act 1977 and related Orders.
- The fair rent is determined by considering the property's condition and improvements.
- The rent is adjusted according to the local rental market and scarcity of similar properties.
- The calculation includes adjustments for market comparables and tenant-provided fixtures.
- The fair rent is set by the First-tier Tribunal using the formula prescribed by the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999.
❌ Tends to be rejected
- (No significant factors identified that went against the claimant in the provided cases.)
Patterns observed in similar cases in this collection — every case is unique.
❓ Frequently asked questions
What did this decision decide?
The Tribunal set the fair rent at £542.50 per month for an assured tenancy.
What was the dispute about?
The dispute was about the calculation of a fair rent for an assured tenancy using the Retail Price Index (RPI) increase and a fixed percentage adjustment.
How did the court decide, and why?
The court decided to set the fair rent at £542.50 per month, applying the Retail Price Index (RPI) adjustment method.
Which laws or rules were applied?
The Rent Act 1977 Schedule 11 was applied.
What was the argument that mattered most?
The argument that mattered most was the application of the Retail Price Index (RPI) adjustment method.
Was the decision for or against the person who brought the case?
The decision was for the person who brought the case.
What does this mean for someone in a similar situation?
Someone in a similar situation can expect their fair rent to be calculated using the Retail Price Index (RPI) adjustment method.
What evidence or documents mattered?
The judgment does not specify.
