A North London landlord tried to hike a tenant’s rent but has been ordered to lower it instead after a tribunal determined that the property was in a state of disrepair.
An inspection of the flat found black mould, cracked walls from leak damage and poor flooring, which had to be “taken into account and reflected in the rent”.
The tenant, Ghanem Almasarir, took the case to a tribunal after being served a notice by his landlord, Mohammed Alibrahim, on September 26, 2024, that the rent on his Wembley flat was going to be increased.
Mr Alibrahim was looking to raise it from £1,620 to £1,850 a month from November 1 of the same year.
Following the hearing, the tribunal determined that the market rent of the property was £1,700 per month “if it were in good condition”.
However, due to the condition of the flooring, black mould, and leak damage, it was decided that £255 should be deducted from this amount meaning the market value was £1,445 – £175 less than the tenant had initially been paying.
The decision was made following a video hearing held on March 14, which was attended by both the tenant and landlord with the decision being made public in June. The tribunal was carried out to determine the rent that the property might reasonably be expected to be let on the open market under an assured tenancy.
Mr Almasarir described the disrepair issues that he had experienced since living at the property, which included ongoing water leaks, black mould, a foul smell coming from the bathroom and poor wooden flooring in the living area of the flat.
He also claimed that the property next door had been let out for £1,300, which he felt would be a “reasonable rate” for his flat considering the issues.
Mr Alibrahim responded by claiming that he was “unaware” of the issues as the tenant didn’t communicate them and refused to allow access to the property – a claim disputed by Mr Almasarir.
An inspection of the Wembley flat was requested and took place on the same day as the hearing, which was attended by the tenant but not the landlord – although a representative for Mr Alibrahim was present.
There were said to be “clear signs of black mould” in the rear corner of the loft space and “cracks in the wall” in the surrounding area, the kitchen ceiling showed “signs of water ingress” and loose floor boards throughout the living room.
An inspection also highlighted other issues with the state of the property, including an “unmodernised kitchen”, the “dated nature” of the overall flat, and the “limited white goods” provided. Therefore, the tribunal determined that a rent of £1,445 per calendar month would be in line with the market rate and should be effective from November 1, 2024.
