The number of rent disputes being taken to property tribunals has risen sharply since the Renters’ Rights Act came into effect, with legal experts warning that landlords are now facing greater scrutiny over proposed rent increases.
Figures from letting agency Hamptons show that tribunals issued 166 market rent decisions in July alone. That is almost four times the 44 decisions recorded during the same month in 2025.
The increase has been particularly noticeable since the Renters’ Rights Act was introduced. The monthly average stood at around 42 decisions during the year to the end of April 2026, before rising to 109 in May and 129 in June.
Tenants were responsible for around 60% of the latest cases, suggesting that more renters are becoming willing to formally challenge proposed rent increases.
Tenants More Willing to Challenge Rent Increases
One reason behind the rise in cases could be the reduced financial risk for tenants who decide to challenge a rent increase.
The process is now relatively inexpensive, and tenants do not face the same risk of having to pay a higher rent retrospectively if their challenge is unsuccessful.
Where a tribunal agrees with the landlord’s proposed rent, the higher amount is generally payable from the date of the tribunal’s decision rather than being backdated to when the landlord first proposed the increase.
This may be encouraging more tenants to use the tribunal system when they believe a proposed rent does not reflect the property’s actual market value.
The latest figures show that the average time between an application being made and a decision being issued was 80 days in July.
Rent Must Reflect the Market
Paul Rooke, a partner at Mayo Wynne Baxter, said the latest figures suggest that the Renters’ Rights Act has changed the balance between landlords and tenants.
He explained that the removal of Section 21 no-fault evictions and changes to the financial consequences of challenging rent increases have made tenants more comfortable exercising their rights.
For landlords, however, the increase in challenges means simply pointing to higher costs may no longer be enough to justify a rent increase.
A proposed rent needs to be supported by evidence showing that the new figure reflects the property’s market value.
This could include comparable rental properties in the local area, the condition and location of the property, available facilities and amenities, and evidence from recent rental transactions.
Landlords are also likely to benefit from keeping a clear record of how they calculated the proposed rent and ensuring the correct statutory process is followed.
As more cases reach tribunals, evidence and proper procedure could become increasingly important when disputes are decided.
Rent Challenges Could Become More Common
Legal experts expect rent determination cases to become a much more significant source of disputes between landlords and tenants.
While tribunals appear to be processing applications within reasonable timescales at present, a continued rise in cases could put additional pressure on the system.
Property tribunals already deal with a range of disputes, including leasehold and service charge cases, meaning a sustained increase in rent challenges could create further demand for tribunal resources.
Why Are Tenants Challenging More Rents?
Kristine Ng, a partner at Morr & Co, said the increase in cases is understandable given the current pressures on both sides of the rental market.
Many landlords are attempting to bring rents closer to current market levels, while tenants are dealing with significant affordability pressures.
The ability to challenge a rent increase itself is not new. However, the Renters’ Rights Act has made the issue more prominent and appears to have encouraged more tenants to make use of the tribunal process.
The removal of Section 21 and changes to the financial risks associated with challenges may also have removed some of the concerns that previously discouraged tenants from taking action.
Landlords Need Strong Evidence
For landlords, an important point is that tribunals focus on the market rent for a property rather than the landlord’s individual costs.
A landlord may have valid reasons for increasing rent, such as higher mortgage payments, maintenance costs or other expenses. However, if the tenant challenges the increase, the tribunal will ultimately consider what rent the property could reasonably achieve on the open market.
This means landlords should carry out proper research before proposing a new rent.
Keeping records of similar properties available locally and documenting current market conditions can help demonstrate why a particular figure has been chosen.
Landlords should also make sure they follow the correct legal process when increasing rent, as procedural errors could create additional problems.
What This Means for Landlords
The sharp increase in tribunal decisions shows that tenants are becoming more active in challenging rent increases.
With around 60% of recent cases reportedly being brought by tenants, landlords can expect greater scrutiny of their rent review decisions as awareness of renters’ rights grows.
For landlords, the message is straightforward: rent increases should be based on clear market evidence rather than simply rising costs.
As the Renters’ Rights Act continues to change the private rented sector, keeping accurate records, researching comparable rents and following the correct procedures will become increasingly important for avoiding disputes.
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