14 Suffolk House, 102-8 Baxter Avenue, Southend, Essex SS2 6HZ
Condition: The flat, in a converted former office block, was found to be fully fitted and in good order with no significant defects affecting market rent.
Evidence considered
- Landlord's survey of 12 local two-bedroom flats averaging ~£1250 pcm
- Landlord's 5 specific comparables of converted office-block and converted terraced-house flats let/available at £1200-£1500 pcm
- Tenant's general submissions on cost of living and cheaper rents 'up north' (£400-500 less), with no specific comparable evidence provided
- Tribunal's own general knowledge of market rent levels in and around Southend
Tenant submitted evidence: no. Landlord submitted evidence: yes.
Tribunal's reasoning
The tribunal relied on its own knowledge of local market rents together with the landlord's comparables of similar converted office-block flats in central Southend (£1200-£1500 pcm) and older converted terraced houses (£1200 pcm), giving these more weight than the tenant's general submissions, which included no comparable rental evidence. Finding no significant defects affecting rentability, the tribunal adopted the landlord's proposed figure of £1200 pcm as the market rent, unchanged by condition issues.
Read the original decision (PDF, GOV.UK)
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