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AllowedFirst-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber)·

Tribunal sets fair rent of £710 per month below max limit

Case No.

📌 In brief

The Tribunal decided on a fair rent of £710 per month for the tenant, effective from April 2024. This rent is below the maximum fair rent limit set by the Rent Acts. The decision was made by the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber).

⚖️ Legal holding

A tenant is entitled to a fair rent set by the Tribunal, subject to the maximum fair rent limit under the Rent Acts.

Topics

fair rentmaximum fair renttenancy agreement

Provisions

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

📖 Technical summary

The Tribunal set a fair rent of £710 per month, effective from April 2024, below the maximum fair rent limit.

📜 Headnote Official document

The Tribunal set a fair rent of £710 per month, effective from April 2024, below the maximum fair rent limit under the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999. The decision was made by Mr G Freckelton and Mrs J Rossiter in the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber).

📚 Full judgment Official document

OUTCOME: Allowed

FR24 First-tier Tribunal – Property Chamber File Ref No. BIR/41UG/F77/2023/0060

Notice of the Tribunal Decision

Rent Act 1977 Schedule 11

Address of Premises The Tribunal members were 24 [ADDRESS], [POSTCODE]

[NAME] Mrs [RESPONDENT] Mrs [APPELLANT]

Landlord [APPELLANT]

Tenant Mrs [APPELLANT]

1. The fair rent is £710.00 Per month (excluding water rates and council tax but including any amounts in paras 3&4)

2. The effective date is 11th April 2024

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 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 same as/below the maximum fair rent of £782.00 per month prescribed by the Order.

[NAME] of decision 11/04/2024

FR24 MAXIMUM FAIR RENT CALCULATION

LATEST RPI FIGURE X 381.00

PREVIOUS RPI FIGURE Y 264.8

X 381.0 Minus Y 264.8 = (A) 116.2 (A) 116.2 Divided by Y 264.8 = (B) 0.4388

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) 1.4888

Last registered rent* 525.00 Multiplied by (C) = 781.62 *(exclusive of any variable service charge)

Rounded up to nearest 50p = 782.00

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

MAXIMUM FAIR RENT = £782.00 Per month

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 fair rent was determined to be 710.00 pounds per month.
  • The maximum fair rent was calculated using the previous registered rent and the change in the retail price index.
  • An additional 5% was added to the calculation because it was not the first application since 1 February 1999.
  • The calculated maximum fair rent was rounded up to the nearest 50 pence.
  • The fair rent to be registered was not limited by the maximum fair rent order because it was below the calculated maximum.

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 £710 per month, effective from April 2024.

Who was involved?

The tenant and the landlord were involved.

How did the court decide, and why?

The court decided based on the Rent Act 1977 and the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999.

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 ensuring the fair rent was set below the maximum fair rent limit.

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 is set according to the Rent Act 1977 and the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999.

What evidence or documents mattered?

The evidence and documents related to the tenancy agreement and the relevant rent acts were considered.

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 always recommended to seek advice from a qualified solicitor for cases involving fair rents.

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.