Landlords proposing even modest rent increases could face challenges at tribunals, following campaigns encouraging tenants to dispute higher rents, including when they believe they can afford the increase.
According to The Telegraph, tenant groups in Oxford, London and Manchester are urging renters to use the tribunal process to challenge proposed rises. Under rules introduced in May, applications cost £47, and tenants continue paying their current rent while their cases are being considered.
Landlord groups warn of tribunal delays
Chris Norris of the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) criticised campaigns encouraging tenants to submit challenges, warning that the approach could overwhelm the system and effectively create a rent freeze.
He argued that flooding tribunals with potentially unfounded claims could undermine the process and produce worse outcomes for both landlords and tenants who depend on timely decisions.
Nathan Emerson, chief executive of Propertymark, acknowledged that tribunals provide an important safeguard against unjustified rent increases. However, he warned that the process should not be used deliberately to delay decisions.
In contrast, Jae Vail, a spokesperson for the London Renters Union, urged tenants to exercise their legal right to challenge rent increases they consider unaffordable.
Renters’ groups encourage resistance
A guide published by a network of tenants’ unions explains that renters can refer a proposed increase to a tribunal until the day before it is due to take effect.
Oxford Renters Union estimates that decisions can take between five and six months following an appeal.
The organisation claims that renters who challenge increases save an average of £1,140 annually. It also argues that taking a case to a tribunal may be financially worthwhile, even if the challenge is unsuccessful.
Its campaign encourages tenants to contest increases regardless of their size or whether they can afford them. The group argues that challenging rent rises could help tenants facing greater financial hardship and put pressure on the wider rental market.
However, the campaign’s approach has raised concerns about the potential impact of increased applications on tribunal waiting times and the ability of other landlords and tenants to resolve disputes promptly.
Housing minister backs tenants’ right to appeal
The campaign comes after a case reported by Property118 in which a landlord’s request to increase rent by £50 a month resulted in a tribunal reducing the existing rent by £200 a month.
Housing minister Matthew Pennycook shared a link to the case on X on Tuesday evening, describing the tribunal process as a way for private renters to challenge unreasonable increases.
He explained that tenants who believe a proposed rent exceeds the open-market rate can refer the matter to the First-tier Tribunal.
Under the Renters’ Rights Act, landlords are limited to increasing rent once a year.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said the legislation gives private renters the ability to challenge unreasonable increases through tribunals. The department added that the measure is intended to prevent landlords from using rent rises as an indirect way of forcing tenants out of their homes.
Download NOW
4 Simple Steps To Becoming Wealthy Through Property