25 Lavers Road, Birtley DH3 1HH
Condition: Mid-terrace house with reported damp/mould issues in several rooms, though an earlier improvement notice had been resolved and revoked.
Evidence considered
- Tenant provided no comparable rental evidence.
- Landlord stated similar properties rent for £775-£850 pcm but provided no actual comparables.
- Tribunal relied on its own expert knowledge of local rental values to set a baseline modernised rent of £700 pcm.
- Deductions of £25 pcm applied for condition issues (condensation) and £25 pcm for tenant-provided improvements/fittings (white goods, carpets/flooring).
Tenant submitted evidence: no. Landlord submitted evidence: yes.
Tribunal's reasoning
With neither party supplying proper comparable evidence, the Tribunal used its own expert knowledge to estimate a modernised market rent of £700 pcm for the area. It then deducted £25 pcm for condition issues including condensation/damp, and a further £25 pcm to reflect tenant-provided improvements and fittings (carpets, flooring, white goods) that should not be charged to the tenant, arriving at £650 pcm. The tenant's hardship request for a delayed start date was rejected due to lack of supporting evidence, so the new rent took effect from the date in the landlord's notice.
Read the original decision (PDF, GOV.UK)
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