6 Hoy Drive, Newton-Le-Willows, Merseyside, WA12 9DS
Condition: Property considered in good order; no adjustment made for condition, though tenant had replaced downstairs flooring.
Evidence considered
- Landlord comparable: four bedroom, two bathroom semi-detached house in Sutton, St Helens, advertised at £1450 pcm
- Landlord comparable: identical unit at 4 Hoy Drive, Newton-le-Willows, let at £1410 pcm in June 2026
- Tenant provided no comparable rental evidence, only comments on improvements made and a hardship argument
- Tribunal also relied on its own knowledge and expertise of local rental values
Tenant submitted evidence: no. Landlord submitted evidence: yes.
Tribunal's reasoning
The tribunal assessed the open-market rent at £1450 pcm based on two landlord comparables (an advertised similar property and an identical neighbouring unit actually let) plus its own expertise, finding the property in good order with no condition adjustment needed. However, as the landlord's original notice had proposed only £1415 pcm, the tribunal capped the determined rent at that lower figure rather than the higher open-market value it found. The tribunal also considered and rejected the tenant's claim of undue hardship, finding no basis to delay the rent's effective date.
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.