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AllowedFirst-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber)·

Tribunal Sets Fair Rent Below Maximum Limit

Case No.

📌 In brief

The First-tier Tribunal decided on a fair rent of £135 per week for the tenant, ensuring it did not exceed the maximum fair rent limit set by law.

⚖️ Legal holding

A tenant is entitled to a fair rent set by the Tribunal, provided it does not exceed the maximum fair rent limit.

Topics

fair rentmaximum fair rentrent act

Provisions

Rent Act 1977 Schedule 11Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999

📖 Technical summary

The Tribunal set a fair rent of £135 per week, below the maximum fair rent limit.

📜 Headnote Official document

The First-tier Tribunal set a fair rent of £135 per week for the tenant, below the maximum fair rent limit of £169.50 per week, as per 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/00CN/F77/2023/0027

Notice of the Tribunal Decision

Rent Act 1977 Schedule 11

Address of Premises The Tribunal members were 82 [ADDRESS] [POSTCODE]

[NAME] Mr [RESPONDENT]

[NAME] ([APPELLANT]) [APPELLANT]

Tenant [NAME]

1. The fair rent is £135.00 Per Week (excluding water rates and council tax but including any amounts in paras 3&4)

2. The effective date is 11 December 2023

3. The amount for services is -- Per --

not applicable

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 do not apply (please see calculation overleaf).

7. Details (other than rent) where different from Rent Register entry

8. For information only:

The fair rent to be registered is not limited by the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999, because it is below the maximum fair rent of £169.50 per week prescribed by the Order.

[NAME] of decision 11 December 2023

FR24 MAXIMUM FAIR RENT CALCULATION

LATEST RPI FIGURE X 337.8

PREVIOUS RPI FIGURE Y 301.9

X 337.8 Minus Y 301.9 = (A) 75.9 (A) 75.9 Divided by Y 301.9 = (B) 0.2514

First application for re-registration since 1 February 1999 NO

If yes (B) plus 1.075 = (C)

If no (B) plus 1.05 = (C) 0.2514 + 1.05 = 1.3014

Last registered rent* £130 Multiplied by (C) = £169.18 *(exclusive of any variable service charge)

Rounded up to nearest 50p = £169.50

Variable service charge NO If YES add amount for services

MAXIMUM FAIR RENT = £169.50 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:

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 Tribunal determined a fair rent of £135.00 per week for the premises.
  • The effective date for the new fair rent was set as 11 December 2023.
  • The capping provisions of the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999 did not apply because the determined fair rent was below the maximum limit.
  • The maximum fair rent was calculated to be £169.50 per week.
  • The calculation used a 5% increase because it was a second or subsequent application since 1 February 1999.

Patterns observed in similar cases in this collection — every case is unique.

❓ Frequently asked questions

What did this decision decide?

The Tribunal set a fair rent of £135 per week for the tenant.

Who was involved?

The tenant and the landlord were involved.

How did the court decide, and why?

The court decided to set a fair rent below the maximum limit to comply with the law.

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?

Ensuring the fair rent did not exceed the maximum fair rent limit was crucial.

Was the decision for or against the person who brought the case?

The decision was for the tenant.

What does this mean for someone in a similar situation?

Someone in a similar situation should ensure their fair rent request complies with the maximum limit set by law.

What evidence or documents mattered?

The relevant evidence included the previous registered rent and the current retail price index figures.

Can a decision like this be appealed?

Yes, decisions like this can be appealed to a higher court.

Is it worth getting a solicitor for a case like this?

It is recommended to seek advice from a qualified solicitor for such cases.

Official source: First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) headnote and full judgment reproduced from the court's public records. View on the official source ↗Summary, holding, technical summary and questions: produced by Artificial Intelligence based on the official headnote and judgment. These are VadeLab’s own material and are not the work of the Court.This decision was issued by the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) and is reproduced from its published records. VadeLab is not affiliated with, and this page is not endorsed by, that court or tribunal.