1 Berry Lands Milton Road CB4 1XW
Condition: Ground floor flat refurbished in 2008 with later double glazing and decoration updates, centrally heated with carpets, curtains and white goods supplied, plus a garage.
Evidence considered
- Landlord cited numerous Cambridge asking rents (mostly above £1550, said no comparable 2-bed flats under £1600), but most lacked detail
- Landlord's own cited CB4 comparables ranged £1300-£1650
- Tenant cited nine comparables ranging £1250-£1500 in the CB4 area
- A flat with an identical floor plan in the same development (Berry Lands) was treated as the best comparable
- Tenant argued higher rents cited by landlord were in CB1/CB2, closer to city centre, and less comparable
- Tribunal supplemented evidence with its own general market knowledge of Cambridge rents
Tenant submitted evidence: yes. Landlord submitted evidence: yes.
Tribunal's reasoning
The tribunal did not inspect the property and relied on written representations, photographs and comparable evidence from both parties along with its own expert knowledge of Cambridge rental values. It gave most weight to a comparable in the same development with an identical floor plan, while treating the landlord's broader Cambridge-wide comparables as less reliable due to lack of detail and location differences (central Cambridge postcodes commanding higher rents). Balancing the tenant's lower comparables against the landlord's higher asking rents and the property's condition and tenancy terms, the tribunal determined a market rent of £1,400 per month, below the landlord's proposed £1,500 but above the passing rent of £1,265.
Read the original decision (PDF, GOV.UK)
Want the evidence, not just the decision?
Around half of the decisions in this database cite a problem with the evidence submitted — comparable tribunal outcomes are usually what decides these cases, for both sides. We're testing a paid evidence pack and a guided walkthrough of the application, built from this database.
Landlord evidence pack — from £15
Nearby tribunal outcomes, a rent level likely to survive a challenge, and an evidence pack in the format the tribunal expects — timed for when you serve a section 13 notice.
Register interest in the landlord packTenant pack — from £19
Whether challenging your rent increase is worth it, plus the comparable decisions to include with your MR1 application to the tribunal.
Register interest in the tenant packNot built yet — register your interest by email and we'll let you know when it's ready. This isn't legal advice; see the law and free advice options.