Tribunal Sets £1021.50 Fair Rent for Assured Tenancy in Northumberland
📌 In brief
The First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) has decided on the maximum fair rent for a property, setting it at £1021.50 per month. This decision ensures the rent complies with the Retail Price Index and relevant legislation.
⚖️ Legal holding
A tenant is entitled to have their rent adjusted according to the Retail Price Index formula, resulting in a new fair rent of £1021.50 per month.
📖 Technical summary
The Tribunal increased the fair rent to £1021.50 per month, applying the RPI formula under the Rent Act 1977.
📜 Headnote Official document
The First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) determined the maximum fair rent for a property under the Rent Act 1977, ensuring it adheres to the Retail Price Index and relevant legislation.
📚 Full judgment Official document
OUTCOME: Allowed
FR24 First-tier Tribunal – Property Chamber File Ref No. JM/LON/00BK/F77/2021/0254
Notice of the Tribunal Decision
Rent Act 1977 Schedule 11
Address of Premises The Tribunal members were 5 [ADDRESS], [POSTCODE]
[NAME](Hons) LLM Property Law MA
Landlord Northumberland and [APPELLANT]
Tenant Mr [APPELLANT]
1. The fair rent is 1021.50 Per Calendar Month (excluding water rates and council tax but including any amounts in paras 3&4)
2. The effective date is 20 October 2021
3. The amount for services is £88.15 Per Month
4. The amount for fuel charges (excluding heating and lighting of common parts) not counting for rent allowance is
N/A Per
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:
(a) The fair rent to be registered is limited by the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999.
[NAME] MA LLM FRICS Date of decision 20th October 2021
FR24 MAXIMUM FAIR RENT CALCULATION
LATEST RPI FIGURE X 307.40
PREVIOUS RPI FIGURE Y 291.0
X 307.40 Minus Y 291.0 = (A) 16.40
(A) 16.40 Divided by Y 291.0 = (B) 0.05637388
First application for re-registration since 1 February 1999 NO
If yes (B) plus 1.075 = (C)
If no (B) plus 1.05 = (C) 1.106357388
Last registered rent* £923.00 Multiplied by (C) = £1021.17 *(exclusive of any variable service charge)
Rounded up to nearest 50p = £1021.50 per month
Variable service charge YES If YES add amount for services £88.15 per month
MAXIMUM FAIR RENT = £1021.50 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:
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) First-tier Tribunal Calculates Maximum Fair Rent for Tenancy
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets £193.50/week Fair Rent for Assured Tenancy in London
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal sets £111/week fair rent for assured tenancy in London
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets £162.50/week Fair Rent for Assured Tenancy in London
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) First-tier Tribunal sets fair rent of £95 per week for property
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets £122/Week Rent for Assured Tenancy in London
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal sets £702/month fair rent for assured tenancy in London
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) First-tier Tribunal sets fair rent at £100 per week
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets £197/Week Rent for Assured Tenancy in London
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets £189.50 Weekly Rent for Assured Tenancy in London
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets Fair Rent for Tenancy at £1184.50 Monthly
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal sets £188.50 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 determined to be £1021.50 per calendar month.
- The effective date for the new fair rent was set as 20 October 2021.
- The capping provisions of the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999 were applied to the rent.
- The calculation used the latest RPI figure of 307.40 and the previous RPI figure of 291.0.
- A 5% increase was added to the RPI change because it was not the first re-registration since 1 February 1999.
- The last registered rent of £923.00 was multiplied by the calculated factor to determine the new rent.
- An amount of £88.15 per month for services was added because there was a variable service charge.
Patterns observed in similar cases in this collection — every case is unique.
❓ Frequently asked questions
What did this decision decide?
The Tribunal decided to set the fair rent at £1021.50 per month for the assured tenancy.
What was the dispute about?
The dispute was about the calculation of the fair rent for an assured tenancy in Northumberland.
How did the court decide, and why?
The court decided to increase the fair rent to £1021.50 per month, applying the formula specified in the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999.
Which laws or rules were applied?
The Rent Act 1977 Schedule 11 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 application of the formula under the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999 to calculate the fair rent.
Was the decision for or against the person who brought the case?
The decision was for the person who brought the case, increasing the fair rent to £1021.50 per month.
What does this mean for someone in a similar situation?
Someone in a similar situation can expect their fair rent to be calculated using the same formula if they bring a case to the First-tier Tribunal.
What evidence or documents mattered?
The judgment does not specify the evidence or documents that mattered.
