18 Brisbane Court, Buckingham Gardens, Slough, Berkshire, SL1 1HP
Condition: The flat had not been materially improved since 2017 and the tenant reported unresolved mould and maintenance issues.
Evidence considered
- Tenant: four local 2-bed flat listings at £1,550-£1,850 pcm, given weight as asking rents in the vicinity
- Landlord: two other flats in the same building let at £1,800 and £2,000 pcm, given little weight due to lack of detail on how/when those rents were set and likely reflecting sitting-tenant negotiations
- Tribunal's own market knowledge and expertise applied to reach the final figure
Tenant submitted evidence: yes. Landlord submitted evidence: yes.
Tribunal's reasoning
The landlord sought to raise the rent from £1,600 to £2,200 pcm. The tenant provided evidence of comparable 2-bed flats in the locality asking £1,550-£1,850 pcm and raised unresolved disrepair issues (mould, general maintenance). The landlord cited two other flats in the same building let at £1,800 and £2,000 pcm but gave no detail on when or how those rents were agreed, and the tribunal considered them likely to reflect negotiations with sitting tenants rather than open-market lettings and higher than the general local market. The tribunal also noted the property had not been materially improved since the tenancy began in 2017, requiring works to bring it to market standard. Relying on its own expertise and the tenant's comparables, the tribunal determined a market rent of £1,600 pcm, effectively a nil increase.
Read the original decision (PDF, GOV.UK)
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