9 Gold Lane, Lancaster, LA1 5TY
Condition: Fully furnished semi-detached house with a long-standing unresolved water leak affecting the bathroom and ceiling/walls, plus faults with the hob and washing machine.
Evidence considered
- Tenant provided comparable lettings from Rightmove ranging £825-£1200 pcm, though few were semi-detached houses.
- Landlord provided three agent comparables ranging £950-£1400 pcm, also mostly not semi-detached.
- Tribunal relied on its own expertise and knowledge of local rental values alongside the comparables, giving them limited weight due to lack of matching property type.
- A £50 pcm deduction was applied from the 'good order' market rent of £1200 pcm to reflect the unresolved water leak in the bathroom.
Tenant submitted evidence: yes. Landlord submitted evidence: yes.
Tribunal's reasoning
The Tribunal first assessed the market rent assuming the property was in good order, at £1,200 pcm, based on its own expertise and the comparables submitted by both parties (though few closely matched the semi-detached house type). It then deducted £50 pcm to reflect the impact of a long-standing, unresolved water leak affecting the bathroom and causing damage to the ceiling and walls, which the landlord admitted was an ongoing issue. This produced a determined market rent of £1,150 pcm, below the landlord's proposed £1,200 pcm.
Read the original decision (PDF, GOV.UK)
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