14 Thackeray Grove Stowmarket Suffolk, IP14 1RE
Condition: Tenant alleged the property required refurbishment/updating and raised some outstanding repair issues (fences, WCs), but no detailed evidence of disrepair was provided.
Evidence considered
- Tenant provided comparables and commentary on landlord's evidence, considered by the tribunal
- Landlord's agent provided a schedule of comparables, considered by the tribunal
- Tribunal also relied on its own expertise and knowledge of local market plus public domain information (e.g. Google Street images)
Tenant submitted evidence: yes. Landlord submitted evidence: yes.
Tribunal's reasoning
The tribunal disregarded the current/previous rent and the tenant's personal circumstances, focusing instead on prevailing market rents for comparable properties, taking into account both parties' comparable evidence and its own expertise. It noted the property's condition as it currently exists, declining to weigh historic disrepair claims that were not substantiated with detail, and determined a market rent below the landlord's proposed figure but above the passing rent.
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.