Flat 11, Brooklands Court, Stirling Drive, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU2 0GE
Condition: Modern first floor flat, generally in reasonable condition though with some historic disrepair including damaged hallway flooring and past mould/heating issues, none found to materially affect rental value.
Evidence considered
- Tenant's tables of average rents and market trends for the development lacked property-specific detail and were given limited weight
- A £800 pcm historical listing for a comparable flat in the same block was treated as out of date and given little weight
- A £1,450 pcm advertised comparable on the same road lacked detail on size/condition/location and was given little weight
- Tenant's own statement that comparable 2-bed flats in good condition in the same and a neighbouring development let at £1,450 pcm was given weight
- Tribunal relied substantially on its own expert knowledge of local rental values
- Landlord provided no comparable evidence, only an assertion that the proposed rent was fair market value
Tenant submitted evidence: yes. Landlord submitted evidence: no.
Tribunal's reasoning
The tribunal found the tenant's documentary rental data too generic to be reliable comparables and gave them limited weight, instead relying on its own expert knowledge of the local market and the tenant's own acknowledgement that comparable 2-bed flats in good condition in the same development let at £1,450 pcm. It assessed the market rent for the property in good order at £1,450 pcm, then declined to make any deduction for disrepair (damaged flooring, historic mould, a past heating/hot water failure) as these were either minor or already remedied and did not materially affect rental value at the valuation date, arriving at a determined rent of £1,410 pcm.
Read the original decision (PDF, GOV.UK)
Want the evidence, not just the decision?
Around half of the decisions in this database cite a problem with the evidence submitted — comparable tribunal outcomes are usually what decides these cases, for both sides. We're testing a paid evidence pack and a guided walkthrough of the application, built from this database.
Landlord evidence pack — from £15
Nearby tribunal outcomes, a rent level likely to survive a challenge, and an evidence pack in the format the tribunal expects — timed for when you serve a section 13 notice.
Register interest in the landlord packTenant pack — from £19
Whether challenging your rent increase is worth it, plus the comparable decisions to include with your MR1 application to the tribunal.
Register interest in the tenant packNot built yet — register your interest by email and we'll let you know when it's ready. This isn't legal advice; see the law and free advice options.