Flat 5, 52 Elsham Road, London, W14 8HD
Condition: Compact, awkwardly laid out flat with tired, 'worn out' decoration, broken window sash cords, and non-functioning communal intercom and lighting.
Evidence considered
- Landlord submitted a one-page Home.co.uk printout showing average/median rents for one-bed flats in the W14 postcode - given no weight as unqualified and too general.
- Tenant submitted a table of six one-bed properties within a quarter mile with asking rents of £1,647-£1,800 pcm - given little weight due to lack of detail and reliance on asking (not achieved) rents.
- Tribunal relied primarily on its own expert knowledge of local rental values.
Tenant submitted evidence: yes. Landlord submitted evidence: yes.
Tribunal's reasoning
The tribunal valued the flat at £1,750 pcm in good condition based on its own expert knowledge, as neither party's comparable evidence was given significant weight. It then deducted 15% (£262.50) to reflect poor internal decoration ('worn out'), broken sash cords, and uncontested complaints about non-functioning communal intercom and lighting, arriving at £1,490 pcm (rounded). The determination had to reflect the property's condition and market conditions as at the proposed increase date (8 January 2025), disregarding later redevelopment works and change of ownership.
Read the original decision (PDF, GOV.UK)
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