New research shows that landlords are losing the majority of rent dispute cases brought before property tribunals, with tenants often securing lower rents than those originally proposed.
Analysis by property data company LonRes looked at 1,325 residential property tribunal decisions made since January 2025. The research found that 73% of cases resulted in a lower rent than the landlord had proposed, with the typical reduction standing at 7.5%.
Only 18% of tribunal decisions resulted in the landlord’s proposed rent being approved.
Evidence a Key Issue for Landlords
One of the biggest concerns highlighted by the research was the lack of supporting evidence behind proposed rent increases.
Almost half of the cases analysed – 47% – involved concerns over the evidence provided by landlords. This suggests that landlords who want to increase rents need to make sure they have clear and reliable evidence showing that their proposed figure reflects current market conditions.
Without sufficient evidence, landlords may find it more difficult to justify a higher rent when a tenant challenges the increase.
Tribunal Cases Can Take Months
The process can also create financial and administrative pressure for landlords.
According to LonRes, rent disputes took an average of 96 days to reach a decision. In London, the average was considerably longer at 142 days.
During this period, landlords cannot simply collect the proposed higher rent while waiting for the tribunal to reach a decision. This means a disputed increase could leave landlords facing a period of reduced rental income.
Chris Welch, Director of Sales at LonRes, said the figures highlight the importance of landlords setting rent increases correctly from the beginning and having strong market evidence to support their decisions.
What the Renters’ Rights Act Means
The findings come as new rules under the Renters’ Rights Act change how landlords can increase rents.
Landlords must use a Section 13 notice to formally increase rent, with tenants given at least two months’ notice. Rent increases are generally limited to once a year and cannot be set above the market rent for the property.
Tenants can challenge a proposed increase by referring the matter to the First-tier Tribunal.
Importantly, the tribunal cannot set a rent higher than the amount proposed by the landlord. Any rent determined by the tribunal also applies from the relevant future rental period rather than being backdated.
Landlords May Need to Be More Careful
The high proportion of cases resulting in lower rents could encourage landlords to take a more cautious approach when reviewing rents.
Simply increasing rent based on general market conditions may not be enough if a tenant decides to challenge the figure. Landlords are likely to need stronger evidence, such as comparable properties and recent local rental data, to support their proposed increase.
For landlords, the message is clear: rent increases need to be properly researched and supported before a notice is issued.
As the new rental rules take effect, landlords who fail to prepare adequate evidence could face lengthy tribunal proceedings, additional administration and potentially lower rental income.
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