3 Sussex Street,Rochdale,OL11 1EL
Condition: Reasonable overall condition but with a poor/unhygienic kitchen floor, bathroom needing refurbishment, damp and mould in the attic room, non-working gas fire(s), an old stairlift obstructing stair access, and no handrail on the attic stairs.
Evidence considered
- Landlord cited written submissions claiming similar 3-bed houses in Rochdale advertised at £1,000-£1,350 pcm, later revised to £1,650 pcm, but provided no specific comparable property details.
- Tribunal independently identified comparable 2- and 3-bedroom properties in the locality advertised at £850-£950 pcm, giving these primary weight.
- A landlord-cited 3-bedroom comparable at £1,200 pcm was rejected as not properly comparable because it was garden-fronted.
- No comparable rental evidence was submitted by the tenant.
Tenant submitted evidence: no. Landlord submitted evidence: yes.
Tribunal's reasoning
The tribunal assessed the market rent at £1,000 pcm for the property in good condition and letting order, based on comparable 2- and 3-bedroom properties in the locality advertised at £850-£950 pcm, rejecting a landlord-identified £1,200 pcm comparable as not properly comparable (garden-fronted). It then applied a £125 pcm deduction to reflect the property's actual condition, including non-working gas fire(s), a kitchen and bathroom requiring refurbishment, damp/mould in the attic, an old stairlift obstructing stair access, and no handrail to the attic stairs, resulting in a determined rent of £875 pcm effective from the date proposed in the landlord's notice.
Read the original decision (PDF, GOV.UK)
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