Flat 109 Baryta House 29 Victoria Avenue, Southend, SS2 6AZ
Condition: Modern top-floor flat in a converted former office block, generally good quality but with minor, mostly historic maintenance issues (hot water, balcony door, lighting, parcel room security).
Evidence considered
- Tenant provided 4 comparable 2-bed 2-bath flats in nearby buildings, available Jan 2025, ranging £1250-£1450 pcm, but without the amenities tenant alleged were missing at the subject building
- Landlord provided a Rightmove 'Best Price Guide' showing 5 flats (4 in same building, 1 adjacent) let between Oct 2024-Jan 2025 at £1550-£1599 pcm within 6-8 weeks of marketing
- Tribunal relied substantially on its own general knowledge of market rent levels in central Southend
- Tenant's list of 11 property/building defects considered but found mostly minor and historic, resulting in only a small deduction
Tenant submitted evidence: yes. Landlord submitted evidence: yes.
Tribunal's reasoning
The tribunal used its own knowledge of the central Southend market, informed by the landlord's letting evidence (£1550-£1599 pcm for similar flats in the same/adjacent building) and the tenant's lower comparables (£1250-£1450 pcm, though in buildings without claimed disputed amenities), to set a starting market rent of £1550 pcm for the property in good order. It then applied a modest £50 pcm deduction to reflect minor, largely historic maintenance and building issues raised by the tenant, arriving at a determined rent of £1500 pcm, matching the landlord's originally proposed figure.
Read the original decision (PDF, GOV.UK)
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