Flat 4, 233 Beckwith Street, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH41 4HW
Condition: Ground floor purpose-built flat in generally usual condition, but with inadequate communal cleaning and waste disposal arrangements affecting the block.
Evidence considered
- Tenant cited two comparables (£650 and £595 pcm) for older/converted flats, deemed outliers and given no weight.
- Landlord cited five comparables (£795-£850 pcm); two high outliers (£850 each) were excluded.
- Three landlord comparables (£795, £800, £815 pcm) were used to set a base market rent of approximately £805 pcm.
- A £50 pcm deduction was applied for documented poor standard of communal cleaning and waste disposal.
Tenant submitted evidence: yes. Landlord submitted evidence: yes.
Tribunal's reasoning
The tribunal assessed the open-market rent (inclusive of fixed service charges) for the modernised flat using comparable evidence, discarding outliers from both parties' lists and averaging the remaining three landlord comparables (£795-£815, average £803.33) to arrive at a starting figure of £805 pcm. It then deducted £50 pcm to reflect poor communal cleaning and waste disposal standards evidenced by the tenant, producing a determined rent of £755 pcm effective from the date in the landlord's notice.
Read the original decision (PDF, GOV.UK)
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