50 Southfields London NW4 4NB
Condition: 1930s detached house in fair overall condition, with double glazed windows having defective seals in places, some cracking and dampness, and a garage in poor condition.
Evidence considered
- Landlord submitted 19 Rightmove property listings described as comparable, ranging from £2475 to £4000 pcm
- Two comparables in the immediate vicinity cited by the landlord at £2850 and £3300 pcm
- Tenant did not submit comparable evidence, only asserting a figure of £2350 pcm
- Tribunal relied on its own expertise and general knowledge of the local rental market alongside the landlord's comparables
Tenant submitted evidence: no. Landlord submitted evidence: yes.
Tribunal's reasoning
The tribunal determined a notional market rent of £3300 pcm for the property modernised and in good order, based on its own expertise and the landlord's comparable evidence (no tenant comparables were provided). It then applied a 10% deduction (£330) to reflect identified disrepair (cracking, dampness, defective window seals, poor condition garage), producing a figure of £2970 pcm, which it rounded down to £2950 pcm - the same figure originally proposed by the landlord. The tribunal also found the tenants had shown undue hardship, so it set the new rent to take effect from the date of its decision rather than the earlier date in the landlord's notice.
Read the original decision (PDF, GOV.UK)
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