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AllowedFirst-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber)·

Tribunal Sets Fair Rent of £210.60 Per Week for Tenancy

Case No.

📌 In brief

The First-tier Tribunal decided on a fair rent of £210.60 per week for a tenancy, after considering improvements and disrepair. This decision was made under the Rent Act 1977 and the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999.

⚖️ Legal holding

A tenant is entitled to a fair rent determined by the Tribunal, taking into account comparable evidence and adjustments for improvements, disrepair, and scarcity.

Topics

fair rent determinationRent Act 1977maximum fair rent

Provisions

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

📖 Technical summary

The Tribunal determined a fair rent for a property under the Rent Act 1977, considering comparable evidence and making necessary adjustments.

📜 Headnote Official document

The First-tier Tribunal determined a fair rent of £210.60 per week for a tenancy, adjusting for improvements and disrepair under the Rent Act 1977. The decision was based on comparable evidence and the application of the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999.

📚 Full judgment Official document

OUTCOME: Allowed

FR27 First-tier Tribunal – Property Chamber File Ref No. SH/LON/00AF/F77/2023/0190

Notice of the Tribunal Decision

Rent Act 1977 Schedule 11

Address of Premises The Tribunal members were 9 [ADDRESS], [POSTCODE]

[NAME] Valuer 079475

[APPELLANT] (Co. Reg. No 229269)

Tenant Mrs [APPELLANT]

1. The fair rent is 210.60 Per Week (excluding water rates and council tax but including any amounts in paras 3&4)

2. The effective date is 30 August 2023

3. The amount for services is Nil Per

negligible/not applicable

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

Nil Per

negligible/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

None

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 £ ......................... per ................................. including £ .................... per .............................. for services (variable).

(b) The fair rent to be registered is not limited by the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999, because it is the same as/below the maximum fair rent of £ 252 per week including £ nil per week for services prescribed by the Order.

[NAME] of decision 30 August 2023

FR27 MAXIMUM FAIR RENT CALCULATION

LATEST RPI FIGURE X 374.2

PREVIOUS RPI FIGURE Y 305.5

X 374.2 Minus Y 305.5 = (A) 68.7

(A) 68.7 Divided by Y 305.5 = (B) .2248

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) 1.2748

Last registered rent* 197.50 Multiplied by (C) = 251.80 *(exclusive of any variable service charge)

Rounded up to nearest 50p = 252

Variable service charge NO If YES add amount for services N/a

MAXIMUM FAIR RENT = £252 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.

1

Case Reference

: SH/LON/00AF/F77/2023/0190

Property : 9 [ADDRESS], [POSTCODE]

Tenant

: Mrs [APPELLANT]

Landlord : [RESPONDENT] (Co. Reg. No 229269)

Date of Objection : 20 June 2023

Type of Application : Section 70, Rent Act 1977

Tribunal

: [NAME] Valuer 079475

Date of Summary

30 August Reasons

: 2023

_______________________________________________

DECISION

The sum of £210.60 per week will be registered as the fair rent with effect from30 August 2023, being the date the Tribunal made the Decision. ____________________________________ FIRST - TIER TRIBUNAL PROPERTY CHAMBER (RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY)

2

© CROWN COPYRIGHT 2023

SUMMARY REASONS

Background 1. Following an objection from the Tenant to the determination of a fair rent by the Rent Officer, the Tribunal has made a determination under the provisions of the Rent Act 1977.

Inspection 2. The Tribunal did not inspect the property but considered this case on the basis of the papers provided by the parties.

Evidence 3. The Tribunal has consideration of the written submissions provided by the Tenant. and the Landlord.

Determination and Valuation 4. Having consideration of the comparable evidence proved by the parties and our own expert, general knowledge of rental values in the area, we consider that the open market rent for the property in a satisfactory condition would be in the region of £390 per week. From this level of rent we have made adjustments to reflect any improvements undertaken by the tenant, disrepair and/or obsolescence at the property. Details are shown in the table below.

5. The Tribunal has also made an adjustment for scarcity.

6. The full rental valuation is shown below:

3 7. The Tribunal determines a rent of £234 per week.

Decision 8. The uncapped fair rent initially determined by the Tribunal, for the purposes of section 70, was £210.60 per week. The capped rent for the property according to the provisions of the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999 is calculated at £252 per week. The calculation of the capped rent is shown on the decision form. In this case the lower rent of £210.60 per week is to be registered as the fair rent or this property.

Chairman: [NAME]: 30 August 2023

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 You can only appeal if the First-tier Tribunal decision was wrong on one or more points of law and you must say why the First-tier Tribunal was wrong in law.

📊 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 used its expert knowledge of rental values in the area to determine the open market rent.
  • The Tribunal considered comparable evidence provided by both parties when determining the rent.
  • Adjustments were made to the open market rent to account for improvements made by the tenant.
  • The Tribunal adjusted the rent to reflect any disrepair or obsolescence at the property.
  • An adjustment for scarcity was made to the rent.

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

❓ Frequently asked questions

What did this decision decide?

The decision set a fair rent of £210.60 per week for a tenancy.

Who was involved?

The tenant and the landlord were involved.

How did the court decide, and why?

The court decided based on comparable evidence and adjustments for improvements and disrepair.

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 the evidence of comparable properties and the adjustments for improvements and disrepair.

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 may also seek a fair rent determination through the First-tier Tribunal.

What evidence or documents mattered?

Comparable evidence and documentation regarding improvements and disrepair were important.

Can a decision like this be appealed?

Yes, decisions like this can be appealed if there are grounds for appeal under the relevant laws.

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

It is recommended to get a solicitor for cases involving fair rent determinations.

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.