22 Maida Vale, Monkston Park, Milton Keynes MK10 9RF
Condition: Tenant alleged mould, rotten balcony decking and threadbare carpets with no redecoration, but provided no evidence; landlord was unaware of any outstanding repairs.
Evidence considered
- Landlord submitted screenshots of asking rents for similar properties in the area, ranging £1300-£1500 pcm, with no commentary, considered of some use
- Tenant submitted no comparable evidence and suggested rent should remain at £1050 pcm
- Tribunal relied on its own expert and general knowledge of local rental values to adjust for the property's condition
Tenant submitted evidence: no. Landlord submitted evidence: yes.
Tribunal's reasoning
The tribunal relied on its own expert knowledge of local rental values, informed by the landlord's comparable asking-rent evidence (£1300-£1500 pcm), but adjusted down significantly to account for the property's condition (lacking white goods/curtains and not modernised to the standard of the comparables). The tenant provided no comparable evidence or proof of disrepair, so no further downward adjustment was made, and the tribunal found no undue hardship to justify delaying the rent increase date.
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.