Flat 5 Poets Road, London N5 2SL LON/00AU/MNR/2025/0814
DECISION
The Tribunal determines a rent of £1,600 per calendar month with effect from 11 May 2025. ____________________________________ FIRST - TIER TRIBUNAL PROPERTY CHAMBER (RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY) 2 © CROWN COPYRIGHT 2023 SUMMARY REASONS Background[1]The Landlord served a notice under Section 13(2) of the Housing Act 1988 dated 7 April 2025 which proposed a new rent of £636.96 per month (inclusive of £27.31 service charge) in place of the existing rent of £619.76 per month to take effect from 11 May 2025.[2]On the 25 April 2025 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.[3]The parties did not request a hearing or an inspection to determine this matter and the Tribunal agreed with this arrangement. Therefore, this case was considered on the basis of the papers provided by the parties with the assistance of Rightmove and Google Maps. Evidence[4]The Tribunal has received a completed statement from the tenant. Determination and Valuation[5]Having consideration of the evidence provided by the tenant and our own expert, general knowledge of rental values in the Stoke Newington area, we consider that the open market rent for the property in good lettable condition with modern fittings and services would be £1,750 per month.[6]The Tribunal has considered carefully the party’s submissions and using its own expertise, we consider a deduction of £150 per month should be applied to take into account no white goods provided by the Landlord and single glazed window units. This reduces the rental figure to £1,600 per month. It should be noted that this figure cannot be a simple arithmetical calculation and is not based on capital costs but is the Tribunal’s estimate of the amount by which the rent would need to be reduced to attract a tenant. Decision[8]The Tribunal therefore determined that the rent at which the subject property might reasonably be expected to be let in the open market by a willing Landlord under an assured tenancy in its current condition was £1,600 per calendar month.[9]The Tribunal directs the new rent of £1,600 per month to take effect on the 11 May 2025. This being the date of the Landlord’s notice. 3[10]It is often the case that market rents are in excess of those that maybe charged by social landlord’s as it is a significant part of their remit to provide affordable housing. As such depending on the type of tenancy agreement their calculation of rent is either at a percentage of market rent or by way of index. Comparison is made with the open market rather than limited to other properties which are offered by social housing providers. It is assumed that the landlord will by usual convention of social landlord’s not seek to increase the rent proposed in its original notice as a result of this determination. Chairman: Duncan Jagger MRICS Date: 28 August 2025 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 subsequent application for permission to appeal should be made on Form RP PTA.