235 Fencepiece Road, Chigwell, Essex, IG7 5EB
Condition: 1950s semi-detached house with basic/dated kitchen and bathrooms, and a conservatory in poor condition, otherwise in fair to good external condition.
Evidence considered
- Tenant cited four nearby comparable houses to let/let ranging from £2000-£2300 pcm, differing in bedroom count and fit-out quality.
- Landlord submitted no comparable evidence, only a reply form with room dimensions.
- Tribunal relied substantially on its own general market knowledge of rent levels in Chigwell to set a baseline figure before condition adjustments.
Tenant submitted evidence: yes. Landlord submitted evidence: no.
Tribunal's reasoning
The tribunal first assessed, from its own general knowledge of the local market, that the property would let for £2,600 pcm if fully fitted and in good order. It then deducted £400 pcm to reflect the busy road location, a dated/basic kitchen and bathrooms, and a conservatory in poor condition, arriving at an adjusted market rent of £2,200 pcm. Tenant-provided comparables (ranging £2,000-£2,300 pcm for similar local houses) supported a figure within this range, while the landlord provided no comparable evidence.
Read the original decision (PDF, GOV.UK)
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