Flat 7 Cloverley, 108 Brooklands Road, Sale, M33 3QE
Condition: The ground floor flat showed disrepair including damp and bare plaster, loose flooring, defective window locks, cracked bathroom tiles, and a leak/dampness and infestation under the kitchen sink, with some fixtures and white goods supplied by the tenant.
Evidence considered
- No market rent comparables were submitted by either party.
- Tribunal relied on its own professional knowledge of local rents for comparable properties.
- Deductions applied for disrepair/neglect observed at inspection (e.g. damp plaster, loose flooring, defective window locks, leak/dampness under kitchen sink) and for tenant-supplied items (white goods, cupboard handles).
Tenant submitted evidence: no. Landlord submitted evidence: no.
Tribunal's reasoning
The tribunal inspected the property and, using its own professional knowledge (no comparables were submitted), assessed a market rent of £1,100 pcm if the flat were in good letting order. It then deducted £100 for landlord neglect/disrepair found at inspection, £55 for tenant-supplied furnishings/white goods, and £45 for tenant-fitted improvements, giving a final rent of £900 pcm. The new rent took effect from the decision date rather than the notice date because an earlier effective date would have caused undue hardship to the tenant due to her disability and health conditions.
Read the original decision (PDF, GOV.UK)
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