60 Stratford Street, Leeds LS11 6EG

MAN/00DA/MNR/2023/0310 · Decided 2024-02-01 · terraced house · 4 bed

Condition: Mid-terrace house in poor lettable condition with dated kitchen and bathroom, no running water at inspection, damp in bedrooms with unfinished repairs, and poor decoration throughout.

Evidence considered

• No comparable evidence submitted by either party; the tribunal relied on its own inspection and expertise.
• Tribunal inspection findings of disrepair, dated fixtures, damp, and lack of running water informed the valuation.
• Landlord's exclusive use and locking of the basement (affecting heating control and causing nuisance) was factored into the determination.

Tenant submitted evidence: no. Landlord submitted evidence: no.

Tribunal's reasoning

The tribunal inspected the property and found it in poor lettable condition, with dated kitchen and bathroom fittings, poor and unfinished decoration, damp in multiple bedrooms, and no running water at the time of inspection. It also noted the landlord retained exclusive, locked access to the basement (which housed the boiler controlling heating) and that this caused nuisance to the tenant. Weighing these factors and using its own expertise (no comparable evidence was submitted by either party), the tribunal concluded the property could not achieve more than the existing rent on the open market, and determined the rent at £550 pcm, rejecting the landlord's proposed increase to £900.

Read the original decision (PDF, GOV.UK)