83C Pinnocks Way Botley Oxford OX2 9DE
Condition: Flat in generally fair to good decorative condition but with only half of its radiators functioning and no blinds provided by the landlord.
Evidence considered
- Tenant's comparison of asking/achieved rents for two other flats in the same building (Flats A and B), scaled by floor area, given some weight by the tribunal.
- Tenant's other comparables (past rent history, landlord conduct, county-wide average rents, ONS rental inflation statistics) considered far less useful for determining market rent at the valuation date.
- Landlord's agent valuation report listing 7 comparable flats vacant to let (asking rents £1200-£1840 pcm) and 6 flats let in 2025/early 2026 (£1250-£1800 pcm), plus an achieved rent of £1225 pcm for a larger flat in the same building.
- Tribunal's own general knowledge of market rent levels in and around Oxford.
Tenant submitted evidence: yes. Landlord submitted evidence: yes.
Tribunal's reasoning
The tribunal rejected the tenant's challenge to the validity of the section 13 notice, finding minor errors in the review date and address did not invalidate it. Weighing the tenant's comparables (rents for two similar flats in the same building, adjusted for size) as helpful, but giving little weight to the tenant's other arguments based on past rent, landlord conduct and area-wide ONS statistics, alongside the landlord's agent evidence of multiple comparable lettings and asking rents in the area, the tribunal determined an open-market rent of £1100 pcm for the property in good condition with white goods, carpets and curtains. It then deducted £75 pcm to reflect the failure of half the central heating system and the tenant having to provide blackout blinds, arriving at a final rent of £1025 pcm.
Read the original decision (PDF, GOV.UK)
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