27 Norton Grove, Maghull, Liverpool, L31 5JX
Condition: Property has had various tenant-made improvements over the years, though most significant ones predate the cut-off date and were disregarded in the valuation.
Evidence considered
- Landlord submitted emails from two estate agents estimating rental value at £1,200 pcm, given some weight alongside Tribunal's own expertise
- Both parties referred to a previous Tribunal rent determination for the same property from earlier the same year, which informed the Tribunal's valuation
- No comparable evidence was submitted by the tenant
- Tribunal relied substantially on its own general knowledge of local rental values
Tenant submitted evidence: no. Landlord submitted evidence: yes.
Tribunal's reasoning
The tribunal assessed the market rent of the property in good condition at £1,150 pcm, drawing on its own expertise, agent valuation emails, and a previous Tribunal determination for the same property. It then deducted £220 pcm to reflect tenant improvements made after the relevant cut-off date of 30 July 2014 (further kitchen work, remedying rendering cracks and replastering, a new shed and fence panels, a new chimney flue, and new curtains/blinds) plus tenant-provided white goods, since earlier improvements made before that date (by the tenant's late father) were disregarded. This produced a determined rent of £930 pcm. A claim of undue hardship by the tenant 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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