7 Smithdown Grove, Liverpool, L7 3QQ
Condition: Property has disrepair to the kitchen and evidence of damp, below the standard of comparable properties.
Evidence considered
- Tenant provided three rental comparables (£900, £875, £895 pcm) but given limited weight due to lack of detail and distance from the property
- Tenant provided internal photographs showing disrepair to kitchen and damp
- Tribunal relied mainly on its own expert knowledge of local rental values, starting at £1,000 pcm for a modernised property and deducting £100 for condition issues
Tenant submitted evidence: yes. Landlord submitted evidence: no.
Tribunal's reasoning
The tribunal used its own expert knowledge to set a baseline market rent of £1,000 pcm for the property in good, modernised condition, as the tenant's comparables were given limited weight due to lack of detail and distance from the property. It then deducted £100 pcm to reflect the property's poorer condition, specifically disrepair to the kitchen and evidence of damp, arriving at a determined rent of £900 pcm. A claim of undue hardship by the tenant was rejected due to insufficient supporting evidence, so the new rent took effect from the date in the landlord's notice.
Read the original decision (PDF, GOV.UK)
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