Flat 9 Boltons Court, 216 Old Brompton Road, London SW5 0BZ
Condition: Dated, furnished duplex flat with damp and mould at lower ground level, unrepaired water damage, a repeatedly failing communal boiler, no double glazing on a busy road, and a small overlooked outside space with no parking.
Evidence considered
- Tenant submitted 7 local comparables (within 0.2 miles) averaging £4,950 pcm, but mostly smaller or upper-floor properties with some rent reductions - given limited weight for size/location mismatch
- Landlord submitted 3 comparables (£6,500 pcm each) in Chelsea/South Kensington/High Street Kensington, but these were asking rents (not achieved) in superior submarkets outside Earl's Court - downward adjustment applied for location
- Tribunal relied on its own expert knowledge of local rental values alongside both parties' evidence to set a baseline before condition adjustments
Tenant submitted evidence: yes. Landlord submitted evidence: yes.
Tribunal's reasoning
The tribunal started from a notional market rent of £6,600 pcm for the property in good condition, derived from its own knowledge and the comparables provided by both parties (adjusted for the landlord's comparables being asking rents in higher-value submarkets, and the tenant's comparables being smaller or less favourably located). It then deducted £400 pcm to reflect the property's poor condition (damp, mould, unrepaired water damage, recurring boiler failures), the predominantly below-ground accommodation with limited light and no double glazing on a busy road, dated finishes, and the limited, overlooked outside space with no parking, arriving at a determined rent of £6,200 pcm, coincidentally matching the prior passing rent.
Read the original decision (PDF, GOV.UK)
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