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AllowedFirst-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber)·

Tribunal Sets Maximum Fair Rent for Property

Case No.

📌 In brief

The First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) decided on the maximum fair rent for a rented property. They used a specific formula from the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999 to calculate the rent, which came to £15,268.74 per year.

⚖️ Legal holding

A tenant is entitled to a maximum fair rent calculation based on the Retail Price Index and previous registered rent.

Topics

fair rentmaximum fair rent calculationretail price index

Provisions

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

📖 Technical summary

The Tribunal determined the maximum fair rent for a property, applying the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999.

📜 Headnote Official document

The First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) determined the maximum fair rent for a property located at 29 Dorset Street, London, using the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999. The fair rent was set at £15,268.74 per year, excluding water rates and council tax but including variable service charges.

📚 Full judgment Official document

OUTCOME: Allowed

FR24 First-tier Tribunal – Property Chamber File Ref No. JM/LON/00BK/F77/2023/0008

Notice of the Tribunal Decision

Rent Act 1977 Schedule 11

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

[NAME]

Landlord [APPELLANT]

Tenant Mr [APPELLANT]

1. The fair rent is 15,268.74 Per Year (excluding water rates and council tax but including any amounts in paras 3&4)

2. The effective date is 15 March 2023

3. The amount for services is £734.24 Per Year

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

not applicable Per

5. The rent is 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 £22,982.40 per year including £734.24 per year for services (variable).

[NAME] of decision 15.03.23

FR24 MAXIMUM FAIR RENT CALCULATION

LATEST RPI FIGURE X 360.3

PREVIOUS RPI FIGURE Y 284.6

X 360.3 Minus Y 284.6 = (A) 75.7

(A) 75.7 Divided by Y 284.6 = (B) .26598735

First application for re-registration since 1 February 1999 NO

If yes (B) plus 1.075 = (C)

If no (B) plus 1.05 = (C) 1.31598735

Last registered rent* £11,004.66 Multiplied by (C) = 1.31598735 *(exclusive of any variable service charge)

Rounded up to nearest 50p = £14,534.50

Variable service charge YES If YES add amount for services £734.24

MAXIMUM FAIR RENT = £15,268.74 Per Year

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 maximum fair rent is determined by increasing the previous registered rent by the percentage change in the Retail Price Index.
  • A 5% increase is added to the calculation because this is not the first re-registration since February 1999.
  • The latest Retail Price Index figure used for the calculation is from the month before the Tribunal's rent determination.
  • The variable service charge is added to the calculated rent after applying the formula to determine the maximum fair rent.
  • The final calculated rent is rounded up to the nearest 50 pence.

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

❓ Frequently asked questions

What did this decision decide?

It set the maximum fair rent for a rented property at £15,268.74 per year.

Who was involved?

A tenant and a landlord were involved.

How did the court decide, and why?

The court used a formula from the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999 to determine 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 argument centered around the calculation method for determining the maximum fair rent.

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 expect their rent to be calculated using the same formula.

What evidence or documents mattered?

The evidence included the previous registered rent and the Retail Price Index figures.

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 advice from a qualified solicitor for cases involving rental properties.

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.