3 Stanley Road Stevenage Hertfordshire SG2 0EF
Condition: Detached house in fair external condition, centrally heated with double glazing, kitchen with some fitted units and a small freestanding gas cooker, and solid wood parquet flooring in the living rooms.
Evidence considered
- Landlord cited average rent of three-bedroom houses in Stevenage (£1778, or £1747 where parking unspecified)
- Landlord used an inflation calculator to update a 2010 rent of £850 pcm to a 2024 equivalent of £1485 pcm
- Tenant submitted no comparable evidence, only prior email correspondence about a proposed increase
- Tribunal relied on its own general knowledge of Stevenage rental values, noting landlord's comparables were closer to town centre or refurbished/extended
Tenant submitted evidence: no. Landlord submitted evidence: yes.
Tribunal's reasoning
The tribunal inspected the property and relied on landlord-provided comparable evidence (average rents for three-bedroom houses in Stevenage) together with its own expert knowledge of local rental values, as the tenant provided no comparable evidence. It found the landlord's proposed rent too high, noting many comparables were closer to the town centre or had been refurbished/extended, and determined a market rent of £1,400 pcm, taking effect from the date specified in the landlord's notice.
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.