97 Oakwood Park Road, London, N14 6QD
Condition: Minor disrepair issues (e.g. patio slabs, fridge freezer, fence panels) were raised but found not to affect market rent, as they appeared resolved or not attributable to the landlord.
Evidence considered
- Tenant provided Rightmove listings of nearby properties at £2,750, £2,750, £2,500 and £2,200 pcm, but these were semi-detached properties, limiting comparability.
- Landlord provided Rightmove listings of semi-detached 3-bedroom houses at £3,600 and £4,200 pcm in other local areas, considered limited direct comparables but higher than the subject property.
- Tribunal relied on its own knowledge and expertise given the limited direct comparable evidence from either party.
- Tenant's evidence of alleged disrepair and landlord access disputes was found largely irrelevant to market rent valuation.
Tenant submitted evidence: yes. Landlord submitted evidence: yes.
Tribunal's reasoning
The tribunal accepted the landlord's proposed rent of £3,250 pcm, finding that the property's detached status, driveway, garage, garden and position overlooking a park made it more desirable than the tenant's semi-detached comparables. It disregarded the tenant's disrepair complaints as minor and unresolved issues not impacting rental value, and found the landlord's limited comparable evidence, combined with the tribunal's own knowledge and expertise, supported the proposed figure. The tribunal also rejected the tenant's claim of undue hardship, finding no evidence that paying a mortgage on another property alongside the rent amounted to undue hardship, so the new rent took effect from the date in the landlord's notice.
Read the original decision (PDF, GOV.UK)
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