Tribunal Sets Fair Rent of £152 Per Week Under Rent Act 1977
📌 In brief
The First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) has decided on a fair rent for a property. The rent set is £152 per week, excluding some charges but including others. This decision follows the calculation method outlined in the Rent Act 1977.
⚖️ Legal holding
A tenant is entitled to a fair rent below the maximum fair rent threshold, as calculated under the Rent Act 1977, provided the rent is reasonable and not excessive.
📖 Technical summary
The Tribunal set a fair rent of £152.00 per week for an assured tenancy, below the maximum fair rent threshold.
📜 Headnote Official document
The First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) determined a fair rent of £152 per week for a property under the Rent Act 1977, excluding certain charges but including others. The decision was based on the calculation of the maximum fair rent according to the relevant order.
📚 Full judgment Official document
OUTCOME: Allowed
FR24 First-tier Tribunal – Property Chamber File Ref No. BIR/00CN/F77/2023/0035
Notice of the Tribunal Decision
Rent Act 1977 Schedule 11
Address of Premises The Tribunal members were 92 [ADDRESS] [POSTCODE]
Mr N [NAME] Mr [RESPONDENT]
Landlord BPT ([APPELLANT]) Ltd
Tenant [APPELLANT] [NAME] [APPELLANT]
1. The fair rent is £152.00 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 the below the maximum fair rent of £172.50 per week prescribed by the Order.
[NAME] of decision 11 December 2023
FR24 MAXIMUM FAIR RENT CALCULATION
LATEST RPI FIGURE X 377.8
PREVIOUS RPI FIGURE Y 305.5
X 377.8 Minus Y 305.5 = (A) 72.3 (A) 72.3 Divided by Y 305.5 = (B) 0.2367
First application for re-registration since 1 February 1999 NO
If yes (B) plus 1.075 = (C)
If no (B) plus 1.05 = (C) 1.05 + 2.2367 = 1.2867
Last registered rent* £134.00 Multiplied by (C) = 1.2867 *(exclusive of any variable service charge)
Rounded up to nearest 50p = £172.42
Variable service charge NO If YES add amount for services
MAXIMUM FAIR RENT = £172.50 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:
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets Fair Rent of £106.50 Per Week Under Rent Act 1977
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) First-tier Tribunal Sets Fair Rent of £1,456 Per Month
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal sets £4104/half-year fair rent for assured tenancy in Lancashire
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets £365.92 Fair Rent for Assured Tenancy in Crawley
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) First-tier Tribunal Sets Fair Rent for Tenant Under Rent Act 1977
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) First-tier Tribunal sets fair rent of £207 per week for property
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets £114/week Fair Rent for Assured Tenancy in London
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets £200/Week Fair Rent for Assured Tenancy in London
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal sets fair rent of £678 per month under Rent Act 1977
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets Fair Rent of £136 Per Week Under Rent Act 1977
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets Fair Rent of £490 Per Month Under Rent Act 1977
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets £212.61 Weekly Fair Rent for Assured Tenancy in 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 fair rent was set at £152.00 per week, excluding water rates and council tax.
- The effective date for the fair rent decision was 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.
- The maximum fair rent calculated under the Order was £172.50 per week.
- The calculation used a 5% addition to the RPI change 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 the fair rent for an assured tenancy at £152.00 per week.
What was the dispute about?
The dispute was about setting a fair rent for an assured tenancy that would not exceed the maximum fair rent threshold.
How did the court decide, and why?
The court decided to set the fair rent at £152.00 per week because it was below the maximum fair rent threshold as defined by the Rent Act 1977.
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 that the calculated fair rent should not exceed the maximum fair rent threshold.
Was the decision for or against the person who brought the case?
The decision was for the person who brought the case, as the fair rent was set below the maximum fair rent threshold.
What does this mean for someone in a similar situation?
For someone in a similar situation, the decision means that their fair rent can be set below the maximum fair rent threshold if the calculations support it.
What evidence or documents mattered?
The judgment does not specify the evidence or documents that mattered.
