23 Ravenswood Drive, Woodingden, Brighton, BN2 6WL
Condition: Dated property with leaking pipework, a damaged kitchen floor, defective/cloudy windows, worn carpets, a draughty front door and dated fittings.
Evidence considered
- Landlord provided a Rightmove 'Best Price Guide' showing asking rents for 2-bedroom properties ranging from £1,295 to £1,840 pcm, but the tenant disputed its relevance as some comparables were newly decorated or bungalows.
- Landlord provided a floor plan of a similar property with an altered room layout, but no floor plan of the subject property itself was provided.
- Tenant provided photographs of the property's condition but no comparable rent evidence.
- Tribunal relied substantially on its own expert knowledge of rental values in Brighton and surrounding areas.
Tenant submitted evidence: no. Landlord submitted evidence: yes.
Tribunal's reasoning
The Tribunal assessed the open market rent for the property in good tenantable condition (with carpets, curtains and white goods provided by the landlord) at £1,350 pcm, based on its own knowledge of local rental values and a Rightmove Best Price Guide for comparable 2-bed properties (£1,295–£1,840) submitted by the landlord, though the tenant disputed the comparability of these properties. Deductions totalling £150 (for tenant-provided white goods, leaking pipework, damaged kitchen floor, defective windows, worn carpets and dated fittings) were applied to reflect the property's actual condition, resulting in a determined rent of £1,200 pcm, matching the landlord's proposed rent, effective from the date in the original notice.
Read the original decision (PDF, GOV.UK)
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