9 Smithy Mews, Blackpool FY1 2EQ
Condition: A modern mid-terraced house with double glazing, generally in reasonable order but affected by an ongoing, though reduced, rat infestation problem from nearby railway lines.
Evidence considered
- Landlord provided two market appraisal reports with four comparables: Healey Street (2-bed mid-terrace, £750 pcm), Smithy Mews (2-bed end terrace, £825 pcm), Fenton Road (2-bed mid-terrace, £825 pcm), Whittaker Avenue (2-bed mid-terrace, £850 pcm)
- Tribunal found none of the comparables directly comparable by location or age, though Smithy Mews was in the same location
- Tenant submitted no rental evidence
- Tribunal relied partly on its own general knowledge and expertise of local rental values
Tenant submitted evidence: no. Landlord submitted evidence: yes.
Tribunal's reasoning
The tribunal started from a market rent of £775 pcm for the property in good condition, derived from landlord comparables and its own expert knowledge, finding none of the comparables directly comparable in location or age. It then applied a 7% deduction (£55) to reflect an ongoing, albeit reduced, rat problem acknowledged by the landlord but disputed as to extent, arriving at a determined rent of £720 pcm effective from the date in the landlord's notice as no undue hardship was shown.
Read the original decision (PDF, GOV.UK)
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