14 Norway Drive, Slough, SL2 5QW
Condition: Inner-terraced house found in rather poor condition, with damp penetration, cracked ceilings/walls, damaged kitchen units and flooring, broken windows, and general disrepair.
Evidence considered
- Landlord referred to comparable properties advertised to let between £1,950 and £2,100 per month, considered in setting the baseline good-condition rent.
- Tribunal relied on its own knowledge and experience of rental values in Slough to set the baseline market rent at £1,800 pcm for the property in good condition.
- Itemised deductions totalling £540 per month were applied for specific defects (kitchen, flooring, damp, broken gate/door, broken conservatory windows, loose electrics, poor decoration).
- Landlord submitted an Electrical Inspection Report (2023) and Gas Safety Certificate, and a repair estimate of £1,180, but no evidence the works had been carried out.
Tenant submitted evidence: no. Landlord submitted evidence: yes.
Tribunal's reasoning
The tribunal assessed the open market rent for the property in good, tenantable condition at £1,800 pcm based on its own knowledge of local rental values and the landlord's comparable evidence of lettings between £1,950 and £2,100 pcm. It then applied itemised deductions totalling £540 pcm to reflect the property's poor condition found on inspection (damp, broken fittings, poor flooring, decoration, etc.), arriving at a determined rent of £1,385 pcm. Personal circumstances such as the tenant's health or hardship were held irrelevant to the market rent assessment.
Read the original decision (PDF, GOV.UK)
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