29 Gould Close Newbury West Berkshire RG14 5QN CAM/00MB/MNR/2025/0821
REASONS
[1]1 The First Tier Tribunal received an application dated 12 December 2025, before the effective start date of the new rent sought, from tenant of the Property, regarding a notice of increase of rent served by the landlord, under S.13 of the Housing Act 1988 (the Act). 2 2 The notice, dated 5 November 2025, proposed a new rent of £1,200 per calendar month from and including 27 December 2025. This rent does not include other services. 3 The tenancy is an assured periodic calendar monthly tenancy succeeding an earlier fixed term lease, with effect from and including 27 July 2018. A copy was provided. 4 The rent payable from up to and including 30 September 2025 was said to be £996 per calendar month. Directions 5 Directions, dated 16 December 2025 for the progression of the case, were issued by Legal Officer Laura Lawless. Neither party asked for a hearing. Inspection 6 There was no inspection. The Property is a two bedroom, one bathroom flat with kitchen and living room. It is on an upper (second top) floor of a small low rise block (3 levels) constructed in the 1990’s. There are internal communal stairwells and external communal gardens (Google Streetview June 2018). There is a modern purpose built building on an estate of similar modern low rise blocks. 7 The building within which the Property is located is finished to brick with double glazed windows and double pitched single lap tiled roof above. The surroundings are open space with landscaped car parking. It is assumed the tenant has use of a parking space on site. The accommodation is 2 bedrooms, living room, kitchen, bathroom WC with electrical storage heaters. Tenants’ and Landlord’s Representations 8 The tenants provided written submissions via the Application Form and made a statement regarding the Property and personal circumstances. The tenant states that he has experienced problems with disrepair historically including minor electrical, plumbing, shower, flooring, washing machine, and kitchen etc. defects.[2]9 The tenant provided brief details asking prices of similar modern flats locally which for similar accommodation appeared to show rents of between £1,100 to £1,200 pcm. 10 The landlord also provided brief details of asking prices of similar modern flats locally which for similar accommodation appears to show rents of between £1,150 to £1,200 pcm on the estate for 2 bedroom flats and £1,400 pcm elsewhere The landlord had offered a concession by staging the rent increase: £1,075 pcm from 27 December 2025; and limiting the rise onwards to £1,150 pcm from 27 April 2026. 3 11 The Tribunal is grateful for such information as was provided by both parties in the application and standard Reply Forms and separate representations. Law 12 In accordance with the terms of S.14 of the Act we are required to determine the rent at which we consider the property 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 tenant’s improvements and any decrease in value due to the tenant’s failure to comply with any terms of the tenancy. Thus the Property falls to be valued as it stands; but assuming that the Property to be in a reasonable internal decorative condition. Decision[3]13 From the Tribunal’s own general knowledge of market rent levels sought and obtained in and around Newbury, it determines that the Property would let on normal Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) terms, for £1,200 per calendar month including any fixed service charge fully fitted and in good order. 14 From the representations it found that the Property had suffered from a series of minor defects but, that these had at the valuation date been resolved by the landlord. However the Property only has electrical storage heating, rather than central heating; the carpets and white goods were worn, for which the Tribunal makes an allowance of £150 pcm. The new rent will be therefore be £1,050 pcm. 15 Although the landlord is not obliged to charge this rent and may charge a significantly lower rent as a result of their own choice, policy, or governmental regulation; however they may not charge more than these figures from their respective dates. Chairman N Martindale FRICS Date 16 February 2026 4 Rights of appeal By rule 36(2) of the Tribunal Procedure (First-tier Tribunal) (Property 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) (Property 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 property, 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).