229 Long Furlong Drive Slough SL2 2LT : CAM/00MD/MNR/2025/0761 CAM/00MD/MNR/2025/0761
REASONS
[1]1 2 The First Tier Tribunal received an undated application form before the effective date of increase 11 October 2025, from the tenants of the Property, regarding a notice of increase of rent dated 9 September 2025 served by the landlord, under S.13 of the Housing Act 1988 (the Act). The notice proposed a new rent of £1500 per calendar month exclusive, with effect from and including 11 October 2025. This rent does not include other services. © CROWN COPYRIGHT 2013 3 The tenancy is now an assured periodic calendar monthly tenancy which originally began for a fixed 12 months term, copy provided. Directions 4 Directions for the progression of the case, were issued on 27 October 2025 by Legal Officer Laura Lawless. As it transpired neither party required a hearing. Inspection 5 There was no inspection. The Property is a 2 level mid terraced house dating from the 1950’s with front garden. (Google Streetview October 2022). It is set in a terrace, on a residential estate, of similar houses dating from the 1950’s and 1960’2 mostly terraced. It is a busy residential road mainly serving the estate. There is no off street parking or garage with the Property, though there is on street and off street parking nearby. 6 7 The house is anticipated to be of traditional construction, brick fair faced wall to front elevation. The main roof is double pitched, single lap concrete tiled. There may be small ground level flat roofed areas to the rear out of view. The Property has 2 bedrooms and a large box room to the first floor with the bathroom/WC; and ground floor, a living room, kitchen. Floor finishes, (mainly carpet)and window coverings are said to the landlords. White goods are included. No furniture is provided by the landlord. Tenants’ and Landlord’s Representations 8 9 The tenants provided written submissions via the Application Form and the standard Reply Form with 5 monochrome photographs. The theme of the photographs - mostly inside, showed damp walls to the bedroom(s) where tucked behind furniture. Outside there were patches of defective paintwork and timber work, though the location of the photos was not identified. The theme inside was of mottled damp patches and mould where air was damp but circulation was poor. It had the character of low temperature surfaces where warmer moist air could cool, condense and in time support mould growth. The windows were said to be of the older double glazed variety. A bathroom air extractor did not work. The respondent landlord’s agent provided light details of other local lettings and availability in support of the rent of £1500 pcm for a house of this size type and location and easily a higher figure, in their view. 2 10 Neither party referred full details, of other local recent lettings to the Tribunal. However the Tribunal is grateful for information provided by both parties, in the application and in the standard Reply Form. Law 11 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[2]12 13 14 From the Tribunal’s own general knowledge of market rent levels in Slough it determines that the subject Property would let on normal Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) terms, for £1,600 per calendar month, fully fitted and in good order. From the representations the Tribunal found that what was a now dated home from the 1950’s was only in fair condition. There were some minor defects including a defective air extractor in the bathroom. In particular the kitchen and bathroom whilst functional were by the descriptions, in only basic order. There was significant damp most likely from condensation of warm moist are in cooler areas where circulation was poor behind furniture. The white goods, carpets and curtains were said to be the landlords. For these various limitations the Tribunal makes a deduction of £100 pcm. The new rent will therefore be £1,500 pcm with effect from 12 January 2026. 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; they may not charge more than this figure. Chairman N Martindale FRICS Date 12 January 2026 3 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). 4