Assured Tenancy Reference Hearings
60.—(1) Where an assured tenancy reference is to be subject to a hearing, the First-tier Tribunal shall appoint a date, time and place for a hearing.
(2) The First-tier Tribunal shall give not less than 10 days’ notice in writing to the landlord and the tenant of the date, time and place so appointed for a hearing.
(3) A hearing shall be in public unless for special reasons the First-tier Tribunal otherwise decides.
(4) At a hearing—
(a)a party may be heard either in person or by a person authorised by him in that behalf, whether or not that person is an advocate or a solicitor;
(b)the parties shall be heard in such order and, subject to the provision of these Rules, the procedure shall be such as the First-tier Tribunal shall determine; and
(c)a party may call witnesses, give evidence on the party’s own behalf and cross-examine any witnesses called by the other party.
(5) The First-tier Tribunal at its discretion may on its own motion, or at the request of the parties or one of them, at any time and from time to time postpone or adjourn a hearing; but it shall not do so at the request of one party only unless, having regard to the grounds upon which and the time at which such request is made and to the convenience of the parties, it deems it reasonable to do so.
(6) The First-tier Tribunal shall give to the parties reasonable notice of the postponed or adjourned hearing.
(7) If a party does not appear at a hearing, the First-tier Tribunal, on being satisfied that the requirements of this rule regarding the giving of notice of a hearing have been duly complied with, may proceed to deal with the reference upon the representations of any party present and upon the documents and information which it may properly consider.