Flat 80 Granite Apartments 39 Windmill Lane Stratford London E15 1PZ LON/00BB/MNR/2026/0208
REASONS
[1]A landlord’s notice dated 28 February 2026, was served under Section 13(2) Housing Act 1988 proposing a new rent of £150.90 per week in place of the passing rent of £143.99 per week to take effect from 6 April 2026. The service charge had been £14.38 per week and this was to rise to £41.10 per week.[2]At a date, prior to the effective date, under S.13(4)(a) Housing Act 1988 the tenant referred the landlord’s notice proposing a new rent, to the Tribunal for determination.[3]The assured tenancy is now weekly periodic. Allocation of Repairs between Landlord and Tenant[4]As per S.11 Landlord and tenant Act 1985. Landlord’s Service Charges and Furniture provided and costs.[5]There was no information on white goods, floor finishes, curtains or furniture. The rent included a service charge due from the tenant for grounds and communal areas maintenance. Liability for Council Tax[6]Tenant. Other relevant terms of tenancy[7]None Inspection and Hearing[8]An inspection is not routinely carried out. The Tribunal is content that it has sufficient information on the Property, its condition and on comparables, from a combination of the written and any photographic representations received and from its own knowledge and specialist expertise. Property[9]There was no inspection. The Property appears to be modern flat constructed c.2000. It is within a mixed 4 to 6 level purpose built block and is on the ‘basement’ / lower ground floor level. The Property has 3 bedrooms, living room/ kitchen, bathroom WC set on 1 level. There are communal internal access areas for these flats in each part of the Building, each served by communal stairs and hallways and lift, with small communal external areas and access. There are on street parking restrictions. It is among other established post war and more recent mainly social housing blocks of flats. (Google Streetview September 2025).[10]The Property appears to be of modern framed construction with brick fair faced and rendered external appearance. The main roof over the Building appears to be flat. The street boundary is fenced and gated. It seems to be in good condition. Glazing appears to be double but the tenant refers to it as not double glazed. Heating is electric. Evidence[11]The Tribunal received completed Form 1 and 1b from the tenant. Form 1a from the landlord was received. The Tribunal is grateful for such information as was provided by one or both of the parties. Tenant[12]The tenant referred to ongoing mould growth especially around the windows of the flats partly it was said down to the poor levels of insulation in the Building. The communal areas were described as unsafe. The fire alarm appears to be not working. The tenant included some photographs being internal views within the Property, especially of the mould on the window frames. The tenant felt that the rent should remain at £700 pcm. Landlord[13]The Tribunal received brief representations from the landlord in Form 1a as to the new rent. The rent was weekly, not monthly. The tenant appeared to be mainly disputing the rise in service charge. Law[14]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. Validity[15]The tenant queried the validity of the notice but only by reference to the quality of otherwise of the Property, not of the notice itself. Valuation[16]From the Tribunal’s own general knowledge of market rent levels in the London Borough of Newham it determines that the subject Property would let on normal Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) terms, for £500 pw, fully fitted and in good order. This is the rent we would expect the Property to let for in the open market if it was in the same condition as comparable properties including landlord’s white goods carpets and curtains.[17]From the representations made, the Tribunal found that while there was minor disrepair, it was not significant enough, sufficient to justify any end allowance to the headline rent. For this reason the Tribunal makes no deduction from the starting rent of £500 pw. Undue Hardship[18]Allowance for hardship from this increase in the rent was sought by the tenant in their application. However they provided no significant evidence in support of their claim. No change to the effective date of the increase is made by the Tribunal. Decision and effective start date[19]The starting date of the new rent of £500pw including the service charge to be levied is from and including 6 April 2026.[20]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. Otherwise any further reduction in this figure on what is levied, is a matter between the parties, only. Chairman N Martindale FRICS Date 26 June 2026 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).