17 Chase Court, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 3BT: CAM/33UB/MNR/2026/0118 CAM/33UB/MNR/2026/0118
REASONS
[3]On 29 April 2026, the Landlord served a notice under Section 13(2) of the Housing Act 1988 which proposed a new rent of £950.00 per calendar month (pcm) in place of the existing rent of £900 pcm to take effect from 1 June 2026. On 18 May 2026, under Section 13(4)(a) of the Housing Act 1988, the Tenant referred the Landlord’s notice proposing a new rent to the Tribunal for determination of a market rent. The assured tenancy commenced on 1 March 2025. The rental period is monthly. Allocation of Repairs between Landlord and Tenant[4]As per section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985. Services Charges or furniture provided by Landlord (other than carpets and curtain and white goods specified below) and the costs relating to the same.[5]There are no service charges or furniture provided by the Landlord and no charges relating to the same. Liability for Council Tax[6]The Tenant is responsible for the payment of Council Tax in respect of the Property. The rent determined is exclusive of Council Tax. Inspection/Hearing[7]Neither party requested an inspection or oral hearing. The Tribunal has considered this case on the basis of the papers provided by the parties and its own knowledge and specialist expertise. 2 The Property[8]The Property is a two-bedroom upper floor maisonette arranged over two levels, offering a kitchen, living room and bathroom. The Property benefits from a recent installation of an Ecostrad Magma HHR German Storage Heater and Dexpro Delux Eco Smart Digital Panel Heater and is double-glazed. The Property is situated in the Newtown estate, immediately to the south-west of Thetford’s historic town centre. The Property backs onto London Road, which provides easy access to the towns’ inner ring road and is the main arterial road taking traffic from the town centre to the A11. Evidence[9]Both the Tenant and the Landlord returned the Tribunal’s Reply forms. The Tenant[10]The Tenant has made the following comments: a) b) “The property is currently subject to an Improvement Notice (deadline 30th May 2026) for Category 1 Excess Cold and Category 2 Damp and Mould.” The Tenant set out the issues which were outstanding or unsatisfactory at the time. “1. Front Door (structure/Exterior): The door is defective and causes severe drafts. Although an attempt at repair was made, the Environmental Health Officer confirmed … 6th May 2026 that this repair is unsatisfactory and is contacting the landlord to review it and if not resolved she said it will be picked up on the final inspection.[2]Ventilation: The landlord is required to install trickle vents on the windows to manage moisture...[3]Damp and Mould Remediation: Professional cleaning and specialist anti-mould painting of affected areas are outstanding. While new heaters upstairs have been installed, the lack of a sealed front door and proper ventilation means the property still fails to meet the legal standards for warmth and safety.” “I am forced to sleep downstairs because the upstairs bedrooms are uninhabitable due to 97% humidity and Category 1/2 hazards … I suffer from COPD… The Environmental Health Officer confirmed… 6th May 2026 that the landlord's repair to the drafty front door was 3 unsatisfactory. The property is not weather-tight and mandatory trickle vents and mould remediation remain outstanding.” The Landlord[11]The Landlord replied as follows:- “I do think tenant lifestyle has been a large factor in the build-up of condensation … not using storage heaters correctly - not using trickle vents and sash opener - not airing the property - large storage bags placed into loft dislodging the extractor fan ducting linked to external pipe …”.[12]He further replies, the Tenant “has provided evidence of condensation and black markings. These have been treated and have not returned (Save the upper hallway). I’ve also adhered to the improvement notice without appeal…”[13]The Landlord stated that he believes median rents are £975 to £1,000 on Rightmove. He consulted with a property letting landlord and a former on-line estate agent for evidence of comparable properties. The latter suggested that £950 pcm was “in line with the property in its current condition and area”.[14]The Landlord provided a comparable three-bedroom flat (which was taken off the market as of 5 November 2025) in Dial House, IP24 within a mile from the subject Property where the letting was advertised as £950 pcm. Determination and Valuation[15]The comparable property provided by the Landlord is a three-bedroom flat with allocated off street parking and appears to be of a higher specification than the subject Property. Making allowances for the superior specification of the Dial House property and relying on its own expert, general knowledge of rental values in the area, the Tribunal considers that the subject property would achieve approximately £900 pcm in the open market.[16]From this level of rent, the Tribunal has not made adjustments in relation to the issues of disrepair because the Landlord has promptly carried out the remedial works, the Local Authority has reinspected and as of 7 July 2026 confirmed that the Improvement Notice is revoked with minor snagging issues remaining for the Landlord to remedy. These are to remove the debris in the trickle vents fitted to the windows, remove and replace the sealant along the bath with suitable sealant, increase the standard of insulation in the loft to improve heat installation and investigate the bathroom extractor fan to ensure adequate airflow. The Local Authority noted that the Tenant had reported recurring mould growth but did find evidence of this and suggested that further investigation may be required if the problem persists. Although the Improvement Notice remained extant at the 4 valuation date, the Tribunal is satisfied from the evidence that substantial remedial works had already been undertaken and that any remaining items are of limited impact on rental value. Market rent Undue hardship £900.00 pcm[17]As the Tribunal has determined a rent equal to the existing rent, no issue of postponement on grounds of undue hardship arises. Decision[18]Therefore, the Tribunal determines the market rent at £900 per calendar month with effect from 1 June 2026. APPEAL PROVISIONS 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 statement of reasons (regulation 52 (2) of The Tribunal Procedure (First-tier Tribunal) (Property Chamber) Rules 2013) stating the grounds upon which it is intended to rely in the appeal.