Flat 2, 26 Linden Road, Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, TN40 1DN
Condition: Building and flat were in very poor condition, with outstanding disrepair, no central heating, and an unmodernised kitchen and bathroom.
Evidence considered
- Landlord provided four comparable two-bedroom flat lettings in the range £1,200-£1,300 pcm, used to support a market rent in good condition
- Landlord provided a third-party valuation schedule (JM Valuation Group) showing £950 pcm for the equivalent first-floor flat in a neighbouring building
- Tenants provided no comparable evidence but described disrepair issues (non-working storage heaters, damp/mould, cracked ceiling, faulty windows, old bathroom/kitchen fittings, no fire certificate/doors)
- Tribunal used its own inspection and general market knowledge to set a baseline good-condition rent, then applied itemised deductions for disrepair and lack of modernisation
Tenant submitted evidence: no. Landlord submitted evidence: yes.
Tribunal's reasoning
The Tribunal first assessed the property's market rent in good condition at £1,000 pcm based on comparable lettings evidence from the landlord, the tenants' statement, and its own expert knowledge of local rental values. It then applied deductions totalling £380 pcm to reflect the poor condition found at inspection and in the parties' statements: general disrepair to the building and property, lack of central heating, tenant-provided white goods, tenant-provided carpets/curtains, an unmodernised bathroom/WC, and an unmodernised kitchen. This produced a determined market rent of £620 pcm, effective from the date specified in the landlord's section 13 notice.
Read the original decision (PDF, GOV.UK)
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