Tribunal Sets Fair Market Rent for Tenancy

OUTCOME: Allowed

MR22 First-tier Tribunal – Property Chamber File Ref No. LON/00AJ/MNR/2024/0685

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 16 [ADDRESS] [POSTCODE]

[NAME] Mr [RESPONDENT] [NAME], 113 [ADDRESS] [POSTCODE]

Tenant [NAME], [APPELLANT] [NAME], [APPELLANT], [NAME]

1. The rent is: £ 1950 Per Month (excluding water rates and council tax but including any amounts in paras 3)

2. The date the decision takes effect is: 27 October 2024

*3. The amount included for services is not applicable

Per

*4. Service charges are not included

5. Date assured tenancy commenced 27 December 2021

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 1930s built semi-detached house with front and rear gardens. Accommodation comprises living room, 3 bedrooms, conservatory, kitchen, bathroom/WC..

[NAME] of Decision 22 July 2025

1

Case Reference

: HS/LON/00AZ/MNR/2025/0765

Property : 16 [ADDRESS] [POSTCODE]

Tenants

: [NAME] [NAME], [RESPONDENT]

Landlord : [RESPONDENT] of Objection : 18 October 2024

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

Tribunal

: Mr [NAME] Mr [NAME] of Summary Reasons : 22 July 2025

_______________________________________________

DECISION

The Tribunal determines a rent of £1,950 per calendar month with effect from 22 July 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 13 September 2024 which proposed a new rent of £2,250 per month in place of the existing rent of £1,750 per month to take effect from 27 October 2024.

2. On the 18 October 2024 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 tenant requested a hearing and an inspection to determine this matter and the Tribunal agreed with this arrangement.

Evidence

4. The Tribunal has received completed reply forms from the parties together with schedules of comparable evidence from the Landlord. For the sake of clarity, the tenant vacated the property on the 27 November 2024 and the landlord subsequently relet the house at a passing rent of £2200 per month following refurbishment works. Therefore, based upon the facts before it, the Tribunal is of the opinion this is a somewhat academic exercise.

The Hearing and Inspection

5. A hearing was arranged to take place on the 22 July 2025 at 10am and an inspection to be undertaken thereafter. This matter was confirmed to the parties in writing however neither the landlord or tenant attended the hearing. Therefore, this case was considered on the basis of the papers provided by the parties with the assistance of Rightmove and Google Maps.

Determination and Valuation

7. Having consideration of the evidence provided by the parties, the recent letting and our own expert, general knowledge of rental values in the Northolt area, we consider that the open market rent for the property in good lettable condition with modern fittings and services would be £2,200 per month.

8. The Tribunal has considered carefully the party’s submissions and photographs. Using its own expertise, we consider a deduction of £250 per month should be applied to take into account damp and mould to the walls, cracked ceramic floor tiles, dated electrical system, dated kitchen and bathroom fittings. This reduces the rental figure to £1,950 per month. It should be noted that this figure cannot be a simple arithmetical calculation

3 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

9. 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 £1,950 per calendar month.

10. The Tribunal directs the rent of £1,950 to take effect on the 27 October 2025. This being the date of the landlord’s notice.

Chairman: [NAME]: 22 July 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.