Flat 75, 7 Exchange Gardens, SW8 1BP
Condition: Tenants reported a history of disrepair including resolved damp/mould, a broken shower temperature control, a broken kitchen socket, and unrepaired ceiling/wall cracks, while the landlord stated there were no open repair cases.
Evidence considered
- No rental comparables were submitted by either party.
- Tribunal relied on its own expert knowledge and general knowledge of rental values in the area.
- Tenants provided repair logs documenting disrepair history but no rent comparables.
Tenant submitted evidence: no. Landlord submitted evidence: no.
Tribunal's reasoning
The tribunal relied on its own expert knowledge and general market expertise, as neither party submitted comparable evidence; the tenants argued the existing rent was fair given disrepair issues (damp/mould, broken shower control, broken socket, cracks) while the landlord said there were no open repair cases. The tribunal adopted the landlord's proposed figure of £4,500 pcm as the market rent, taking the property's configuration, specification and condition into account with no further adjustment. Due to the tenants' financial hardship, the new rent's start date was postponed from the notice date to a later date rather than reducing the rent itself.
Read the original decision (PDF, GOV.UK)
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