16 Stonehouse Drive, Salford, Greater Manchester. M7 2XY
Condition: Modern property in good order with no specific condition issues identified.
Evidence considered
- Landlord's own lettings on the same estate: a 2-bed at £1,275, two 3-beds at £1,450 each, and a 2-bed reserved at £1,300 - given 'useful guidance' despite limited detail.
- Landlord's Rightmove listings of 3-bed houses in the area at £1,450-£1,600 - considered not directly comparable (different type/condition, advertised not let) and of limited assistance.
- Tenant asserted lower comparable rents existed locally but provided no supporting evidence, so this was given no weight.
- Tribunal relied substantially on its own expert knowledge of local rental values.
Tenant submitted evidence: no. Landlord submitted evidence: yes.
Tribunal's reasoning
The tribunal found the tenant's objections regarding condition and comparable rents unsupported by any evidence, while giving some weight to the landlord's own recent lettings on the same estate, though limited by lack of detail, and less weight to the landlord's Rightmove listings as not directly comparable. Using its own expert knowledge of local rental values and noting the property was modern and in good condition with no specific issues raised, the tribunal determined the market rent to be the same figure proposed in the landlord's section 13 notice, £1,240 pcm. The tribunal also found partial undue hardship to the tenant and delayed the effective date of the new rent by one month to 15 June 2026, rather than reducing the rent itself.
Read the original decision (PDF, GOV.UK)
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