Flat 41 Meadway Precinct, Reading, Berkshire, RG30 4AB
Condition: Carpets severely worn and interior overdue full decoration, repair and upgrading; double glazing and night storage heaters present but white goods provided by tenant.
Evidence considered
- Tenant cited rents of £600-£700pcm at nearby flats 35 and 39 Meadway, but gave no dates for when agreed and tribunal gave this no weight as likely historic and inconsistent with current market lettings
- Landlord stated other tenants in the complex pay £950-£1450pcm and referenced market listings for similar properties, supporting the proposed figure
- Tribunal relied on its own expertise and knowledge of the local rental market given limited reliable comparable evidence
Tenant submitted evidence: yes. Landlord submitted evidence: yes.
Tribunal's reasoning
The tribunal disregarded the historic passing rent (set in 2013) and the tenant's personal financial circumstances, assessing instead what a hypothetical willing tenant would pay in the open market. It found the tenant's comparable evidence (two nearby flats) unreliable due to lack of dating and inconsistency with current market levels, while noting the landlord's evidence of other tenants paying £950-£1450pcm in the complex. Taking into account the property's poor condition but also significant rental growth since 2013, the tribunal used its own expertise to determine a market rent matching the landlord's proposed figure of £950pcm, effective from 1 September 2025.
Read the original decision (PDF, GOV.UK)
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