Flat 19 Melbourne Court, Anerley Road, SE20 8AR
Condition: The property has an outdated kitchen, worn carpet, periodic mould from leaks affecting the bathroom and living room, and an intermittently faulty boiler.
Evidence considered
- Tenant's comparable: a two-bedroom flat in the same block let at £1,500 pcm, in better condition (no mould, newer kitchen, integrated cooker) - found persuasive and used as base market rent.
- Landlord's comparable: two-bedroom flat in Anerley Park, 0.6 miles away, advertised at £1,700 pcm - given limited weight as the street was considered more amenable.
- Landlord's comparable: two-bedroom flat in Thickett Road, 0.48 miles away, advertised at £1,750 pcm, with modernised kitchen - given limited weight for same reason.
- Tribunal applied its own general knowledge of local rental values alongside the evidence.
Tenant submitted evidence: yes. Landlord submitted evidence: yes.
Tribunal's reasoning
The tribunal assessed the open market rent for the flat in good tenantable condition at £1,500 pcm, based primarily on a neighbouring flat in the same block which was persuasive comparable evidence. It then applied a 10% discount (£150) to reflect the subject property's actual condition, including an outmoded kitchen and mould from leaks, arriving at a determined rent of £1,350 pcm. The landlord's comparable evidence (two other local lettings) was given limited weight as those streets were considered more amenable and residential than the subject's road.
Read the original decision (PDF, GOV.UK)
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