Mrs S Phillips MRICSMr P Morris FRICSDate 24 July 2026Property: Flat B, 10 Chevening Road, London, NW6 6DD
DECISION
[1]The sum of £237.50 per calendar week will be registered as the fair rent with effect from 24 July 2026, being the date the Tribunal made the Decision. ____________________________________[2]FIRST - TIER TRIBUNAL PROPERTY CHAMBER (RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY)
REASONS
[1]Following an objection from the Tenant to the determination of a fair rent by the Rent Officer, the Tribunal has made a determination under the provisions of the Rent Act 1977. Hearing and Evidence[2]A hearing was held on 11 May 2026 at Alfred Place. The Tenant was present, and the Landlord was not.[3]The Tenant explained that they were shocked that the increase in rent was £80 per week. The Tenant only works part-time and is unable to meet the increase. She has not had a wage increase and has lived there for 53 years. She will need to claim benefit to pay her rent and she does not wish to claim any benefits.[4]The Tenant explained that the rent was increased in August 2025, although this was not a rent assessment as per the one she is currently objecting to. The Tenant stated that the rent normally goes up every few years by a few pounds and this is what the Tenant had experienced August 2025.[5]The Tribunal asked the Tenant to describe the property. The property is a two-level two-bedroom flat, and she moved there in 1993. The Tenant explained that the location is a nice place to live and that the wider the area has been gentrified.[6]To access the property, the Tenant must go up a flight of stairs to get to the first bedroom, living room, kitchen and bathroom and then to get to the second bedroom you go down a flight of stairs which are at the rear of the property.[7]The Tenant installed the flooring which includes laminate flooring throughout with the carpet on the steps. The Tenant has decorated the property previously. The windows are single glazed. The Landlord carried out an assessment to upgrade the windows to double glazing and install solar panels but that was later cancelled by the Landlord.[8]The property is draughty in the winter and the property received an EPC rating of D. The front door is wooden.[9]Central heating is present throughout the property with no radiators near the front door and have to climb a flight of stairs to reach the nearest radiator.[10]Electrical wiring is working within the property and the Landlord has reviewed this over the past 3 to 4 years. 3[11]No access to the garden and no parking on the property but street permit parking to the front of the property.[12]In 2017 the Landlord carried out the last fair rent assessment. At that point it was a bit less than the £153.50 the Tenant is now paying. The increase in 2017 was not as substantial as the increase the Tenant is now experiencing with this rent increase before the Tribunal. The Tenant stated that the rate of £152.50 in 2017 was not implemented by the Landlord straight away.[13]With regards to the smaller increments that the Tenant experienced, she did not submit any correspondence to the Tribunal on this point as she was not objecting to it. The Tribunal could not understand under what basis these were undertaken. The Landlord should therefore ensure that these are explained more fully in the future.[14]The Tribunal has consideration of the written submissions provided by the Tenant. There were no written submissions from the Landlord. Inspection[15]The Tribunal did not carry out an inspection of the property. Determination and Valuation[16]Having consideration of our own expert, general knowledge of rental values in the area, we consider that the open market rent for the property in good tenantable condition would be in the region of £520 per week. From this level of rent we have made adjustments in relation to:a. Tenant internal repairing obligations.b. No provision of white goods.c. No provision of flooring or curtains.[17]The Tribunal has also made an adjustment for scarcity.[18]The full valuation is shown below: per calendar week Market Rent £525 Less Tenant repairing obligations ) 5% No white goods ) 5% 4 No floor coverings./ curtains ) 5% £78.75£446.25 Less Scarcity approx. 20% £89.25£357[19]The Tribunal determines a rent of £357 per week. Decision[20]The uncapped fair rent initially determined by the Tribunal, for the purposes of section 70, was £357 per week. The capped rent for the property according to the provisions of the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999 is calculated at £237.50 per calendar week. The calculation of the capped rent is shown on the decision form. In this case the lower rent of £237.50 per calendar week is to be registered as the fair rent or this property. Chairman: Mrs S Phillips MRICS Date: 24 July 2026 APPEAL PROVISIONS These summary reasons are provided to give the parties an indication as to how the Tribunal made its decision. If either party wishes to appeal this decision, they should first make a request for full reasons and the details of how to appeal will be set out in the full reasons. Any request for full reasons should be made within a month. Any subsequent application for permission to appeal should be made on Form RP PTA