72 Coventry Street, Stoke, CV2 4NB
Condition: Ground floor one-bedroom flat with basic kitchen, some mould issues and a ceiling needing repainting, otherwise with central heating and double glazing.
Evidence considered
- Landlord's agent provided comparable properties in the area ranging from £650 to £700 per month, supporting a market rent of £700.
- Tribunal also relied on its own expert knowledge of local rental values.
- No comparable rental evidence was submitted by the tenant.
- Adjustments made from the £700 market rent for condition (-£50), tenant-provided curtains/carpets/white goods (-£25), and tenant's decoration liability at 5% (-£35); no deduction allowed for tenant's own improvements.
Tenant submitted evidence: no. Landlord submitted evidence: yes.
Tribunal's reasoning
The tribunal assessed the open market rent for the flat in good condition at £700 per month, based on landlord-provided comparables (£650-£700) and its own expertise, as no tenant evidence was submitted. It then deducted sums for the property's condition, items supplied by the tenant (curtains, carpets, white goods), and the tenant's liability for internal decoration, arriving at £590 per month. A claim of hardship by the tenant was rejected due to lack of supporting evidence beyond receipt of benefits.
Read the original decision (PDF, GOV.UK)
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