4 Market Rise, Cherry Hinton Road, Cambridge, CB1 7DZ
Condition: The flat itself was in reasonable order but communal hallway areas required redecoration and there were unresolved repair and antisocial behaviour issues.
Evidence considered
- Landlord's 'Best Price Guide' listing comparable one-bedroom flats in Cambridge at £1,100 and £1,150 pcm (Hartington Court), £1,050 pcm (Cherry Hinton Road, above a shop), £920 pcm (Cherry Hinton Road, second floor), and a furnished flat share at £900 pcm (Glenalmond Avenue)
- Tenant's photographs of the flat and common areas showing poor condition and lack of maintenance, given weight as a reason for a £25 pcm deduction
- Tribunal relied substantially on its own expert knowledge of local rental values rather than a detailed comparable analysis
Tenant submitted evidence: yes. Landlord submitted evidence: yes.
Tribunal's reasoning
The tribunal assessed the market rent for a modernised one-bedroom first floor flat at around £910 pcm, based on its own knowledge and the landlord's comparable evidence. It then deducted £25 pcm to reflect the poor decorative condition of communal hallways and unaddressed antisocial behaviour concerns raised by the tenant, resulting in a determined rent of £885 pcm. The tribunal also found that an immediate increase would cause undue hardship to the tenant and postponed the effective date to the date of its decision rather than the date in the landlord's notice.
Read the original decision (PDF, GOV.UK)
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