2 Kennels Cottage Ascott Park Leighton Buzzard Beds LU7 0PP
Condition: 1960s semi-detached former estate cottage, modernised with central heating and double glazing, in reasonable condition with tenant-improved garden to be disregarded.
Evidence considered
- Tenant's comparables: urban estate terraced/mid-terraced 3-4 bedroom houses in Leighton let Sept-Nov 2025 at £1650 pcm each, given lesser weight as not rural estate properties.
- Landlord's comparables: rural estate semi-detached properties similar to subject let between March 2025 and January 2026 at £1750 pcm, given most weight as most comparable in setting and type (though generally older/larger).
- Tribunal applied own general knowledge of rural Bedfordshire market rents.
- Deduction of £50 pcm applied for proximity to a busy main road relative to other rural estate comparables.
Tenant submitted evidence: yes. Landlord submitted evidence: yes.
Tribunal's reasoning
The tribunal preferred the landlord's rural estate comparables (semi-detached homes let around £1750 pcm) over the tenant's urban terraced comparables (around £1650 pcm), as being more similar in setting to this rural estate property, arriving at a base market rent of £1750 pcm. It then applied a £50 pcm deduction to reflect the property's proximity to a busy main road compared to other rural estate comparables, while treating neighbour nuisance, road disrepair and parking restrictions as common factors warranting no further adjustment, and disregarding tenant-made garden improvements as not required under the tenancy. This produced a final determined rent of £1700 pcm.
Read the original decision (PDF, GOV.UK)
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