Tribunal Sets Rent for Assured Periodic Tenancy Based on Market Conditions

OUTCOME: Allowed

MR22 First-tier Tribunal – [NAME] Chamber File Ref No. LON/00AK/MNR/2025/0939

Notice of the Tribunal Decision and Register of Rents under Assured Periodic Tenancies (Section 14 Determination)

Housing Act 1988 Section 14

Address of Premises The Tribunal members were 46 [ADDRESS] [POSTCODE]

[NAME]

Landlord [NAME]

[APPELLANT] [NAME]

1. The rent is: £ 650 Per Cal month

2. The date the decision takes effect is: 1 September 2025

*3. The amount included for services is Nil Per

*4. Service charges are variable and are not included N/A

5. Date assured tenancy commenced 2013

6. Length of the term or rental period Calendar monthly periodic

7. Allocation of liability for repairs Per tenancy

8. Furniture provided by landlord or superior landlord None

9. Description of premises The [NAME] is the ground floor reception room in a 3 bedroom 1920’s terraced house. Brick walls rendered to front, double pitched main roof in double lap tile, hipped roof to bay in fair condition. [NAME] comprises – 4 bedrooms, box room, kitchen, bathroom/ wc. . Communal area: rear garden, 2 parking spaces to brick paved, limited on street parking. Rent does not include services or bills.. The Landlord may charge a rent up to but, not in excess of the figure shown at box 1.

[NAME] of Decision 3 February 2025

© CROWN COPYRIGHT 2013

FIRST-TIER TRIBUNAL [NAME] CHAMBER ([NAME]) Case Reference : LON/00AS/MNR/2025/0939 [NAME] : 46 [ADDRESS] [POSTCODE] Applicant: [redacted] : [COUNSEL] [NAME] (Solicitors) Respondent : [redacted] Representative : None Type of Application : Section 13(4) Housing Act 1988 Tribunal Members :

[NAME] and venue of Hearing : 10 [ADDRESS] [POSTCODE] Date of Decision : 3 February 2025

REASONS FOR DECISION

Background

1 The First Tier Tribunal received application forms dated 19 August 2025 and 30 September 2025 from the [APPELLANT] of the [NAME], regarding a notice of increase of rent served by the landlord, under S.13 of the Housing Act 1988 (the Act).

2 The notice, dated 31 July 2025, proposed a new rent of £650 per calendar month with effect from and including 1 September 2025. The passing rent was said to be £365 per calendar month.

2

3 The tenancy is an assured periodic calendar monthly tenancy. A copy of the last tenancy agreement was provided. It was said to have run originally from 2013.

4 Directions dated 8 December 2025 were issued inviting representations on the substantive issue of the new rent. Neither party requested a hearing. The Tribunal does not routinely carry out inspections.

5 The Tribunal carefully considered and noted such representations as it received from both parties and the location layout size and condition of the [NAME] and other available and let comparable properties nearby.

[NAME]

6 The [NAME] is one room (former front ground floor reception room) within a purpose built 2 level 1920’s terraced house, itself within an established residential estate of similar roads within LB Hillingdon. Accommodation within the house is 4 rooms, 2 on the ground level 2 on the first floor. The box room, bathroom and kitchen all appeared to be shared between the 4 residents of the 4 rooms. There is a rear garden and a front paved driveway for 2 cars. On road parking is restricted. The building has white painted rendered front wall and a double pitched roof finished to double lap concrete tiles roof over. (Google Streetview March 2022). Windows are early style PVCu framed double glazed. The heating is not stated. No furniture is included in the letting of the room. Carpets and curtains are not mentioned. It is assumed that standard white goods are provided in the kitchen shared between the residents including the [APPELLANT] of the [NAME].

7 The Tribunal assumes that [NAME] and the shared common areas were let and maintained in fair condition. No communal services are provided and no bills for such are included in the rent.

Law

8 In accordance with the terms of S14 of the Housing Act 1988 we are required to determine the rent at which we consider the [NAME] might reasonably be expected to let in the open market, by a willing landlord, under an assured tenancy, on the same terms as the actual tenancy; ignoring any increase in value attributable to [APPELLANT]’s improvements and any decrease in value due to the [APPELLANT]’s failure to comply with any terms of the tenancy. Thus the [NAME] falls to be valued as it stands; assuming it to be in reasonable internal decorative condition.

Decision

9 Based on the Tribunal’s own general knowledge of market rent levels in LB Hillingdon determines that the subject [NAME] would let on a normal Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) terms, for £650 pcm, fully fitted and in good order. There are no issues about the [NAME] to

3 consider whether to make a deduction for. Some tenants prefer to provide their own furniture, others prefer the landlord to provide same.

10 The new rent will therefore be £650 per calendar month with effect from 1 September 2025. The Landlord is not obliged to charge this sum and may charge a significantly lower rent as a result of their own choice, policy, or governmental regulation. They may not however, charge a rent in excess of it.

Name: [NAME]: 3 February 2025

Rights of appeal

By rule 36(2) of the Tribunal Procedure (First-tier Tribunal) ([NAME] Chamber) Rules 2013, the tribunal is required to notify the parties about any right of appeal they may have.

If either party is dissatisfied with this decision, they may apply for permission to appeal to the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) on any point of law arising from this Decision.

Prior to making such an appeal, an application must be made, in writing, to this Tribunal for permission to appeal. Any such application must be made within 28 days of the issue of this decision to the person making the application (regulation 52 (2) of The Tribunal Procedure (First-tier Tribunal) ([NAME] Chamber) Rule 2013).

If the application is not made within the 28-day time limit, such application must include a request for an extension of time and the reason for not complying with the 28 day time limit; the tribunal will then look at such reason(s) and decide whether to allow the application for permission to appeal to proceed, despite not being within the time limit.

The application for permission to appeal must identify the decision of the tribunal to which it relates (i.e., give the date, the [NAME], and the case number), state the grounds of appeal and state the result the party making the application is seeking.

If the tribunal refuses to grant permission to appeal, a further application for permission may be made to the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber).