Tribunal Sets Fair Rent of £229.50 Per Week

OUTCOME: Allowed

FR24 First-tier Tribunal – Property Chamber File Ref No. TR/LON/00BE/F77/2023/0280

Notice of the Tribunal Decision

Rent Act 1977 Schedule 11

Address of Premises The Tribunal members were 91 [ADDRESS], [POSTCODE]

[NAME] [NAME] Mr [APPELLANT]

Landlord [NAME]

Tenant Ms [APPELLANT]

1. The fair rent is 229.50 Per Week (excluding water rates and council tax but including any amounts in paras 3&4)

2. The effective date is 13 November 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

0.00 Per

not applicable

5. The rent is/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

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 £300 per week.

[NAME] of decision 13 November 2023

FR24 MAXIMUM FAIR RENT CALCULATION

LATEST RPI FIGURE X 378.4

PREVIOUS RPI FIGURE Y 279.7

X 378.4 Minus Y 279.7 = (A) 98.7

(A) 98.7 Divided by Y 279.7 = (B) 0.352878

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) 1.402878

Last registered rent* 163.50 Multiplied by (C) = 229.37 *(exclusive of any variable service charge)

Rounded up to nearest 50p = 229.50

Variable service charge NO If YES add amount for services

MAXIMUM FAIR RENT = £229.50 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.

1

Case Reference

: TR/LON/00BE/F77/2023/0280

Property : 91 [ADDRESS], [POSTCODE]

Tenant

: Ms [APPELLANT]

Landlord : [NAME] of Objection : 28 August 2023

Type of Application : Section 70, Rent Act 1977

Tribunal

: Mr [NAME] [NAME]

Mr [NAME] of Summary Reasons

: 13 November 2023

_______________________________________________

DECISION

The sum of £229.50 per week will be registered as the fair rent with effect from 13 November 2023 being the date the Tribunal made the Decision. ____________________________________

© CROWN COPYRIGHT 2023

FIRST - TIER TRIBUNAL PROPERTY CHAMBER (RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY)

2

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 held a hearing but did not inspect the property.

Evidence

3. The Tribunal has considered of the oral evidence provided by the Tenant. There were no written submissions from the parties. The Tenant explained that the reason she had brought the appeal was the lack of information from the Landlord about the effect of a new registration. The current rent being paid is £127.00 per week with the previous registered rent being £163.00 per week. The rent officer registered a rent of £228.00 per week but there was no communication from the Landlord about the effect of this. The Tribunal considers the Landlord should review its practice in this area to avoid unnecessary appeals.

Determination and Valuation

4. The Tribunal has to find two figures, the market rent adjusted for scarcity and the capped rent with the lower figure being registered.

5. Having considered the 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 the condition and with the amenities the market would expect would be in the region of £500 per week. From this level of rent we have made adjustments in relation to:

a. The terms of the tenancy, no carpets curtains or white goods

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

6. The full valuation is shown below:

Fair rent S70 Per week Market rent 500.00 £ less condition & terms 25% 125.00 -£ adjusted rent 375.00 £ less scarcity off adj rent 20% 75.00 -£ Fair rent 300.00 £

3

7. The Tribunal determines a section 70 rent of £300 per week.

Decision

8. The uncapped fair rent initially determined by the Tribunal, for the purposes of section 70, was £300 per week. The capped rent for the property according to the provisions of the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999 is calculated at £229.50 per week. The calculation of the capped rent is shown on the decision form. In this case the lower rent of £229.50 per week is to be registered as the fair rent for this property.

Chairman: [NAME]: 13 November 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