1 Neylands Cottages, East Grinstead, West Sussex, RH19 4HP
Condition: The cottage suffers from non-functioning heating, a defective leaking roof, black mould and damp, failing single-glazed windows and blown conservatory glazing, poor drainage/flooding, and an uncertified electrical installation with no valid EPC.
Evidence considered
- Tenants provided floor plans and extensive photographs of disrepair, but no comparable rental evidence despite claiming to have attached some.
- Landlord provided no comparable evidence and did not respond to the tribunal's MR2 form; only relied on the figure in the original notice.
- Tribunal relied solely on its own general knowledge/expertise of open market rents in East Grinstead, informed by the tenants' photographic and descriptive evidence of condition.
Tenant submitted evidence: no. Landlord submitted evidence: no.
Tribunal's reasoning
The tribunal found the notice valid despite minor defects of form and misnamed tenant, and applied the pre-Renters' Rights Act 1988 ss13/14 regime since the notice was served before 1 May 2026. With no comparable evidence from either party, the tribunal relied on its own expert knowledge, valuing the property in good condition at £1,500 pcm, then deducted £525 pcm for extensive disrepair (non-working heating, roof defects, mould/damp, failed windows, poor drainage, uncertified electrics, no valid EPC) to reach £975 pcm. The tribunal disregarded tenant-funded improvements and tenant's sitting status per statutory disregards, and found no evidence of undue hardship so the increase took effect on the landlord's proposed date.
Read the original decision (PDF, GOV.UK)
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