906 Hyde Rd, Manchester, M18 7LL
Condition: The tenant alleged a dated kitchen and unusable bathroom, fire damage from faulty wiring, and lapses in gas/electrical safety checks, though these were largely unevidenced and disputed by caution rather than rebuttal.
Evidence considered
- Tenant referenced a phone screenshot and an OpenRent extract showing two comparable properties, but these lacked sufficient detail and were given no real weight.
- No rental evidence or comparables were submitted by the landlord.
- Tribunal relied on its own expert knowledge of local rental values rather than submitted comparables to set the baseline modernised rent of £1,500 pcm.
- Condition issues (dated kitchen/bathroom, fire damage, gas safety lapses) were alleged by the tenant but not evidenced by photos or documentation, so the tribunal treated them cautiously though undisputed due to landlord's non-engagement.
Tenant submitted evidence: yes. Landlord submitted evidence: no.
Tribunal's reasoning
The tribunal valued the property at £1,500 pcm if modernised and in good condition, then deducted £200 in total for poor management/attendance, dated kitchen and unusable bath, blocked garage use, and tenant-funded improvements, arriving at an open-market rent of £1,300 pcm. As the landlord's proposed rent of £1,200 pcm was lower than this figure, the tribunal determined the rent at the landlord's proposed amount of £1,200 pcm. The tenant's hardship request for a delayed start date was rejected due to lack of supporting evidence, so the new rent took effect from the first new rental period after determination.
Read the original decision (PDF, GOV.UK)
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