25 Heathcote Street, Stone, Dartford, Kent, DA2 6GT
Condition: Nearly new house with no outstanding disrepair, EPC rating B, heating from electric air source heat pump.
Evidence considered
- Tenant cited a comparable 'identical' new build house on the same estate advertised at £2,200 pcm
- Landlord cited three recent new lettings of the same house type at £2,400 pcm and one at £2,425 pcm
- Landlord cited Zoopla/Rightmove asking rents for similar properties between £2,513 and £3,500 pcm, given little weight as asking prices rather than achieved rents
- Tribunal relied on its own knowledge of the micro-market of this nearly new, energy-efficient development
Tenant submitted evidence: yes. Landlord submitted evidence: yes.
Tribunal's reasoning
The tribunal found the most reliable evidence to be actual achieved rents for recent lettings of the same house type on the same development, all at £2,400 pcm, rather than the landlord's proposed rent which factored in anticipated future market growth or online asking prices. It declined to base the rent on projected future increases and gave weight to its own expertise regarding the micro-market of this nearly new, energy-efficient estate. The tenant's cited comparable at £2,200 pcm was considered but the tribunal settled on £2,400 pcm as consistent with the strongest comparable evidence.
Read the original decision (PDF, GOV.UK)
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