First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Decision — Case 4165130
📌 In brief
The First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) decided on the maximum fair rent for a tenant's property. The rent was set at £100.60 per week, excluding water rates and council tax but including service charges.
⚖️ Legal holding
A tenant is entitled to a fair rent calculation under the Rent Act 1977, taking into account the Retail Price Index and previous registered rent, resulting in a maximum fair rent of £100.60 per week for this assured tenancy.
📖 Technical summary
The First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) set a new fair rent of £100.60 per week for an assured tenancy, excluding water rates and council tax but including service charges.
📜 Headnote Official document
The First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) determined the maximum fair rent for a tenant's property under the Rent Act 1977. The rent was set at £100.60 per week excluding water rates and council tax but including service charges.
📚 Full judgment Official document
OUTCOME: Allowed
FR24 First-tier Tribunal – Property Chamber File Ref No. MAN/00BL/F77/2022/0005
Notice of the Tribunal Decision
Rent Act 1977 Schedule 11
Address of Premises The Tribunal members were 118 [ADDRESS], [POSTCODE]
[NAME] Mr [APPELLANT]
[NAME]
Tenant Mr [APPELLANT] & Mrs [APPELLANT]
1. The fair rent is £100.60 Per Week (excluding water rates and council tax but including any amounts in paras 3&4)
2. The effective date is 15 August 2022
3. The amount for services is £6.60 Per Week
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 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.
1 bed first floor flat. Internal inspection (No [NAME] goods, flooring, curtains, dated fixtures and fittings) Tenant attended hearing and made submissions relating to the amount and services provided relating to the service charge. It does not affect the rent determination.
8. For information only:
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 £100.60 per week including £ 6.60 per week for services (variable).
[NAME] of decision 16 August 2022.
FR24 MAXIMUM FAIR RENT CALCULATION
LATEST RPI FIGURE X 340
PREVIOUS RPI FIGURE Y 289.20
X 340 Minus Y 289.20 = (A) 50.8000
(A) 50.8000 Divided by Y 289.20 = (B) 0.17566
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) 1.22566
Last registered rent* 76.48 Multiplied by (C) = £93.74 *(exclusive of any variable service charge)
Rounded up to nearest 50p = £94
Variable service charge YES If YES add amount for services £6.60
MAXIMUM FAIR RENT = £100.60 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.
📊 How courts decide similar cases
Among 12 similar decisions in this collection:
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets £235.50/week Maximum Fair Rent for Assured Tenancy in London
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) First-tier Tribunal sets maximum fair rent for terraced house
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal sets maximum fair rent of £170.49 per week
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets £198.50/week Fair Rent for Assured Tenancy in London
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets £157.50/week Maximum Fair Rent for Assured Tenancy in London
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets £133.50/Week Fair Rent for Four-Bedroom Tenancy in London
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal Sets £872/Month Maximum Fair Rent for Assured Tenancy in London
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal sets £183.50 weekly fair rent for assured tenancy in London
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal sets £14761/year fair rent for assured tenancy in London
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) First-tier Tribunal Sets New Fair Rent for Tenancy Under Rent Act 1977
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal sets £189.50/week fair rent for assured tenancy in London
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Tribunal sets £62.50/week 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 £100.60 per week, excluding water rates and council tax.
- The effective date for the fair rent determination was set as 15 August 2022.
- An amount of £6.60 per week was included for services in the fair rent calculation.
- The maximum fair rent calculation applied the capping provisions of the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999.
- The calculation used the latest RPI figure of 340 and a previous RPI figure of 289.20.
Patterns observed in similar cases in this collection — every case is unique.
❓ Frequently asked questions
What did this decision decide?
The Tribunal set a maximum fair rent of £100.60 per week for an assured tenancy.
What was the dispute about?
The dispute was about the fair rent amount for an assured tenancy, specifically the service charge.
How did the court decide, and why?
The court decided to set the maximum fair rent at £100.60 per week, applying the formula from 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 tenant argued for a fairer service charge, but this did not affect the rent determination.
Was the decision for or against the person who brought the case?
The decision was for the tenant, setting the maximum fair rent as requested.
What does this mean for someone in a similar situation?
Someone in a similar situation can expect their fair rent to be determined 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 exact evidence or documents used in the decision.
