26 Harbury Court, Newbury, Berkshire, RG14 7NQ
Condition: The flat was described as tired but functional, with older electric storage heating and separate hot water storage, dating from a 1990s low-rise purpose-built block.
Evidence considered
- Landlord cited recent new lettings on the same estate at £1050-£1300 pcm
- Landlord cited 3 other flats in the estate let/listed at £1150-£1200 pcm with same heating system
- Landlord cited wider Newbury two-bedroom flat rents of £1150-£1250 pcm
- Landlord provided a 'Best Price Guide' showing 8 listings in the same postcode (Oct 2024-Jan 2026) ranging £1100-£1300 pcm, about half let
- Tenant provided unlabelled photographs showing wear/dirt from 2022 handover but no comparable rent evidence
- Tribunal also relied on its own general knowledge of market rents in and around Newbury
Tenant submitted evidence: no. Landlord submitted evidence: yes.
Tribunal's reasoning
The tribunal used its own knowledge of local market rents, together with landlord-provided comparables of similarly aged flats on the same estate (lettings/listings of £1050-£1300 pcm), to set a starting market rent of £1,250 pcm for the flat fully fitted and in good order. It then deducted £150 pcm to reflect the less desirable electric storage heating/water heating system and the generally tired (though functional) condition, arriving at a determined rent of £1,100 pcm. The tenant's evidence (photographs and general submissions of poor condition, and a claim the second bedroom was too small to count) was considered but given little separate weight since most comparable flats on the estate shared the same heating system, and no comparable rent figures were supplied by the tenants.
Read the original decision (PDF, GOV.UK)
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