Flat 15 Belgrave Court, Ascalon Street, London, SW8 4DJ
Condition: Relatively well-kept and spacious flat with condensation/mould, an aging kitchen and bathroom, and heated by night storage heaters rather than central heating.
Evidence considered
- Landlord provided comparables within 150m of the property renting between £1,750 and £1,900 pcm, plus a further one-bedroom comparable at £2,200 pcm
- Landlord cited a Zoopla estimate of £1,650 pcm for the subject property
- Tenant provided no specific rental comparable evidence, instead submitting photographic/WhatsApp evidence of disrepair and health/relationship issues, which the tribunal found largely irrelevant to market rent
- Tribunal relied substantially on its own expert knowledge of local rental values alongside the landlord's comparables
Tenant submitted evidence: no. Landlord submitted evidence: yes.
Tribunal's reasoning
The tribunal inspected the flat and assessed the market rent of the property in good/modernised condition at £1,900 pcm, drawing on its own expert knowledge of local rental values and the landlord's comparable evidence (the tenant provided no rental comparables). It then deducted 13% (£247) to reflect the property's night storage heaters rather than central heating, evidence of damp, and the antiquated bathroom and fittings, arriving at a determined rent of £1,653 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.