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AllowedFirst-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber)·

Tribunal Sets Fair Rent for Property Under Rent Act 1977

Case No.

📌 In brief

The Tribunal decided on the fair rent for a property under the Rent Act 1977. They considered factors like the Retail Price Index to determine the fair rent, which was set at £2,448.00 per quarter, starting from May 11, 2021.

⚖️ Legal holding

A tenant is entitled to have their rent assessed according to the Retail Price Index and relevant regulations.

Topics

fair rentRetail Price Indextenancy agreements

Provisions

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

📖 Technical summary

The Tribunal determined the fair rent for a property under the Rent Act 1977.

📜 Headnote Official document

The Tribunal determined the fair rent for a property under the Rent Act 1977, taking into account the Retail Price Index and relevant regulations. The fair rent was set at £2,448.00 per quarter, effective from 11 May 2021.

📚 Full judgment Official document

OUTCOME: Allowed

FR24 First-tier Tribunal – Property Chamber File Ref No. LON/00AC/F77/2021/0113

Notice of the Tribunal Decision

Rent Act 1977 Schedule 11

Address of Premises The Tribunal members were 618b [ADDRESS], [POSTCODE]

[NAME](Hons) LLM Property Law MA

Landlord [APPELLANT]

Tenant Mr [APPELLANT] & Ms [APPELLANT]

1. The fair rent is 2448.00 Per Quarter (excluding water rates and council tax but including any amounts in paras 3&4)

2. The effective date is 11 May 2021

3. The amount for services is N/A Per

4. The amount for fuel charges (excluding heating and lighting of common parts) not counting for rent allowance is

N/A Per

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

None.

8. For information only:

(a) 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 £2,598.50 per Quarter prescribed by the Order.

[NAME] of decision Tuesday 11th May 2021

FR24 MAXIMUM FAIR RENT CALCULATION

LATEST RPI FIGURE X 296.9

PREVIOUS RPI FIGURE Y 284.5

X 296.9 Minus Y 284.5 = (A) 12.4

(A) 12.4 Divided by Y 284.5 = (B) 0.04358524

First application for re-registration since 1 February 1999 - NO

If yes (B) plus 1.075 = (C)

If no (B) plus 1.05 = (C) 1.09358524

Last registered rent* £2,376.00 Multiplied by (C) = 1.09358524 *(exclusive of any variable service charge)

Rounded up to nearest 50p = £2598.50

Variable service charge NO If YES add amount for services

MAXIMUM FAIR RENT = £2,598.50 Per Quarter

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 tenant requests a rent assessment based on the Retail Price Index and relevant regulations.
  • The tenant seeks a fair rent calculation under the Rent Act 1977.
  • The tenant asks for a maximum fair rent calculated according to the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999.
  • The tenant demands their rent be capped according to the Rent Act 1977.
  • The tenant claims entitlement to a fair rent that reflects the property’s condition and local rental market rates.

❌ Tends to be rejected

  • The holding does not specifically mention the Retail Price Index or relevant regulations, leading to an unclear outcome classification.

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

❓ Frequently asked questions

What did this decision decide?

The fair rent for a property was set at £2,448.00 per quarter.

Who was involved?

A tenant and a landlord were involved.

How did the court decide, and why?

The court used the Retail Price Index and relevant regulations to calculate the fair rent.

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 use of the Retail Price Index to calculate the fair rent 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 consider the Retail Price Index and relevant regulations when seeking a fair rent assessment.

What evidence or documents mattered?

The Retail Price Index figures and the relevant regulations were important.

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 legal advice from a qualified solicitor for cases involving fair rent assessments.

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.