Flat 3, 76 Coniston Road, London, N10 2BN
Condition: Essentially unfurnished split-level flat in need of redecoration and new floor coverings, with single glazing and central heating.
Evidence considered
- Tenant comparables: two two-bedroom, one-bathroom flats on the market at £1,900 and £1,875 pcm.
- Landlord comparables: two-bedroom flats on the market at £2,000 and £1,950 pcm, given weight; a third at £2,900 pcm (newly refurbished, high specification) given no weight as it was acknowledged to represent the upper end of the market.
- Tribunal used its own knowledge of local rental values alongside the comparables to set a baseline rent for the property in good condition, then deducted approximately 5% for poor decorative condition and floor coverings.
Tenant submitted evidence: yes. Landlord submitted evidence: yes.
Tribunal's reasoning
The tribunal treated the property as essentially unfurnished and disregarded tenant-made improvements (shelving, redecoration) as well as an unsubstantiated damp/mould complaint. Using comparables from both parties (ranging £1,875-£2,000 pcm for similar two-bed, one-bathroom flats) and its own market knowledge, it set a baseline rent of £2,000 pcm for the property in good condition, then applied a roughly 5% deduction for poor decorative condition and floor coverings, arriving at £1,900 pcm. A claim of undue hardship by the tenants, based on one joint tenant's reduced working hours, was rejected as insufficient evidence of overall household financial hardship, so the new rent took effect from the next rental period rather than being delayed.
Read the original decision (PDF, GOV.UK)
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