The Old Vicarage, Church Lane, West Wycombe, Bucks, HP14 3AH
Condition: A c1550 detached house refurbished in 2017 with oil-fired central heating and secondary glazing, but with some outstanding disrepair to the rear and external decorations and an EPC rating of E (borderline).
Evidence considered
- Landlord provided asking rents of seven four-bedroom detached houses (£2,350–£3,400 pcm), but tribunal found these were mainly modern houses, often with four double bedrooms, and those at higher rents had been marketed for a long time.
- Tenant cited average rents for similar-sized properties to the west of High Wycombe of around £2,250 pcm.
- Tribunal weighed the high heating costs and low EPC rating (39, just within band E) against the landlord's comparables of more modern, efficient houses.
Tenant submitted evidence: yes. Landlord submitted evidence: yes.
Tribunal's reasoning
The tribunal preferred the tenant's evidence of comparable rents in the local area over the landlord's asking-rent comparables, which were mainly modern four-double-bedroom houses that would be cheaper to heat and, where priced higher, had been on the market a long time. Taking into account the subject property's age, higher heating costs, and low EPC rating, the tribunal determined the market rent to be the same as the existing passing rent rather than the landlord's proposed increase.
Read the original decision (PDF, GOV.UK)
Want the evidence, not just the decision?
Around half of the decisions in this database cite a problem with the evidence submitted — comparable tribunal outcomes are usually what decides these cases, for both sides. We're testing a paid evidence pack and a guided walkthrough of the application, built from this database.
Landlord evidence pack — from £15
Nearby tribunal outcomes, a rent level likely to survive a challenge, and an evidence pack in the format the tribunal expects — timed for when you serve a section 13 notice.
Register interest in the landlord packTenant pack — from £19
Whether challenging your rent increase is worth it, plus the comparable decisions to include with your MR1 application to the tribunal.
Register interest in the tenant packNot built yet — register your interest by email and we'll let you know when it's ready. This isn't legal advice; see the law and free advice options.