275 Danbury Crescent South Ockendon Essex RM15 5XB
Condition: Ground floor flat in generally good condition apart from a single night store heater (no heating in bedroom or bathroom), cracked bathroom tiles, a faulty washing machine and occasional drain smells.
Evidence considered
- Landlord provided a floorplan of an identical property
- Landlord submitted a property inspection report with photographs dated 27 August 2025, noting good general condition but some defects
- Landlord provided advertised (asking) rents for comparables between £900 and £1,300 per month, but no evidence of actual agreed rents
- Tribunal relied on its own knowledge and experience of rental values in South Ockendon rather than detailed comparable transaction evidence
Tenant submitted evidence: yes. Landlord submitted evidence: yes.
Tribunal's reasoning
The Tribunal assessed the open market rent for the flat at £950 pcm using its own knowledge of local rental values, then deducted £100 for lack of heating in the bedroom and bathroom (£75) and minor disrepair items including a faulty washing machine, cracked bathroom tiles and drain smells (£25), arriving at £850 pcm. The landlord's cited justifications (higher mortgage and service charges) were held irrelevant to market rent. Water charges, paid separately by the tenant to the landlord, were excluded from the determined rent.
Read the original decision (PDF, GOV.UK)
Want the evidence, not just the decision?
Around half of the decisions in this database cite a problem with the evidence submitted — comparable tribunal outcomes are usually what decides these cases, for both sides. We're testing a paid evidence pack and a guided walkthrough of the application, built from this database.
Landlord evidence pack — from £15
Nearby tribunal outcomes, a rent level likely to survive a challenge, and an evidence pack in the format the tribunal expects — timed for when you serve a section 13 notice.
Register interest in the landlord packTenant pack — from £19
Whether challenging your rent increase is worth it, plus the comparable decisions to include with your MR1 application to the tribunal.
Register interest in the tenant packNot built yet — register your interest by email and we'll let you know when it's ready. This isn't legal advice; see the law and free advice options.