87a Broadway, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex SS9 1PE
Condition: A dated maisonette above a shop with a poor layout (bathroom off the kitchen/diner, small kitchenette), remedial works from a revoked council Improvement Notice completed but with some outstanding making-good, and shared rear access/yard with bin congestion and security concerns.
Evidence considered
- Landlord's agent cited four recent lettings of comparable maisonettes/flats over commercial premises in Leigh-on-Sea, ranging from £1,250 to £1,500 pcm, though three had additional features (parking, garden, extra bathroom, better layout/condition) not present at the subject property.
- Tenants cited online listings including larger modern flats at £1,300 pcm and smaller flats over shops at £1,050-£1,095 pcm, which the tribunal found gave a useful guide to the range for flats over shops but were not directly comparable in size.
- Tribunal found general achieved rents for flats over commercial premises in Leigh-on-Sea were in the region of £950-£1,300 pcm, with higher figures reflecting extra features such as parking, gardens or en-suite bathrooms.
- Tribunal applied a 20% (£260) deduction from the top comparable range to reflect the property's poor layout, lack of additional features, shared/congested access, and outstanding making-good works.
Tenant submitted evidence: yes. Landlord submitted evidence: yes.
Tribunal's reasoning
The tribunal benchmarked the property against four recent lettings of similar two-bedroom maisonettes/flats over shops in Leigh-on-Sea (£1,250-£1,500 pcm), most of which had superior layouts, modern fittings, and extra features like parking or gardens that the subject property lacked. It found general market rents for flats over commercial premises in the area ranged from £950 to £1,300 pcm. Starting from the higher end of £1,300 pcm achieved by comparable but superior properties, the tribunal deducted 20% (£260) to account for the property's poor internal layout, small third bedroom and kitchenette, inconvenient shared access with bin congestion and yard security concerns, and the landlord's failure to make good after Improvement Notice works, arriving at £1,040 pcm.
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.