Landlords face £3,000 eviction bills under Section 8 possession claims
2 months ago | 2 comments
Government announce fee for tenants appealing rent increases
9:09 AM, 26th March 2026, 1 month ago
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The government has claimed it “wants to ensure justice is protected for all” after announcing a £47 fee for tenants challenging a rent increase through the first-tier property tribunal.
In a written question, Justice Minister Sarah Sackman confirmed that the government has put forward legislation to begin implementing a new fees framework in the Property Chamber.
The news comes after a tenant group slammed the government over the fees tenants must pay to access rent tribunals.
£47 for applications to appeal a rent increase
In a written question, Labour MP Kerry McCarthy asked: “What the Ministry of Justice has made of the potential impact of extending courts and tribunal fees to challenging Section 13 rent increases through the First-Tier Tribunal on the number of rent increase challenges.”
In response, Ms Sackman confirmed under proposed legislation tenants would pay £47 with no hearing fee for applications to appeal a rent increase.
She said: “The Ministry of Justice keeps all fees under continuous review to ensure that His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) has the resources necessary to operate fairly and efficiently, while ensuring access to justice is protected for all.
“The government has laid legislation to begin the process of implementing a new fees framework in the Property Chamber. The purpose of the new framework is to deliver a fair and sustainable Property Chamber that is accessible to all. The framework includes a fee of £47 for applications to appeal a rent increase, with no hearing fee, this is one of the lowest fees across HMCTS.
“The Help with Fees scheme will always be available to provide financial support to those who cannot afford to pay fees. In 2024/25, we remitted £91 million of fees income to protect access to justice. The changes are subject to Parliamentary consent.”
Landlords in limbo
As previously reported by Property118, under the Renters’ Rights Act, any rent increase upheld by the tribunal would take effect only from the date of its decision, rather than when the landlord first served notice. This means that even unsuccessful challenges could delay higher rent payments for months, leaving landlords in limbo.
Geoffrey Vos, Master of the Rolls and head of civil justice in England and Wales, warned the Housing Law Practitioners’ Association that the rules under the Renters’ Rights Act could create “an incentive for tenants to apply to the First Tier Tribunal in respect of every increase in order to delay its implementation”.
Tags:
First-tier Tribunal Property Chamber, Ministry of Justice, Rent increase, rent increase challenge, Renters’ Rights Act
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Member Since June 2014 - Comments: 1564
8:22 PM, 31st March 2026, About 4 weeks ago
Reply to the comment left by JB at 31/03/2026 – 20:19
MCOL?
Member Since October 2023 - Comments: 70
8:25 PM, 31st March 2026, About 4 weeks ago
Reply to the comment left by JB at 31/03/2026 – 20:19
I don’t think a landlord has standing to go to Tribunal over a rent increase. The tenant either accepts it, or THEY have to go to Tribunal. If they do neither I think the landlord would have to treat it as having been accepted and then in arrears. Interesting question as to what happens if you then try to evict for arrears and then they decide to challenge the increase. I haven’t seen any time limits on when the tenant has to apply
Member Since June 2014 - Comments: 1564
8:38 PM, 31st March 2026, About 4 weeks ago
Reply to the comment left by Tim Peters at 31/03/2026 – 20:25
“I haven’t seen any time limits on when the tenant has to apply”
Up to the date when the new rent starts.
Member Since May 2017 - Comments: 766
10:01 PM, 31st March 2026, About 4 weeks ago
So if you increase a £1000 rent by £50 and the tenant ignores it, it would take 40 months to reach 3 months of arrears at which point you could serve a section 8. After each 12 months you could also have had another £50 rent increase to take into account
Member Since October 2023 - Comments: 70
10:14 PM, 31st March 2026, About 4 weeks ago
Reply to the comment left by JB at 31/03/2026 – 22:01
I make it 60 months but in principle yes
Member Since May 2017 - Comments: 766
10:16 PM, 31st March 2026, About 4 weeks ago
Reply to the comment left by Tim Peters at 31/03/2026 – 22:14
Isn’t the tenant 3 months in arrears after the end of the 2nd month?
My brain is past it at this hour!
Member Since May 2017 - Comments: 766
10:41 PM, 31st March 2026, About 4 weeks ago
Reply to the comment left by Tim Peters at 31/03/2026 – 22:14
You’re right as the arrears are only building at £50 per month!
Member Since October 2024 - Comments: 197
9:48 PM, 17th April 2026, About 1 week ago
Reply to the comment left by Amethyst at 12:10
This is exactly my worry. I use tenants for let only. They take the full year fees and the tenants leave after 2 months. The cost becomes very high, especially if you rely on students and they stay 2 to 3 months or even 9 months. The landlords end up paying all the costs like utilities, double council tax, compliance certificate costs, soon prs database and ombudsmen etc. This rigmarole can go on and I cannot see any reasons to let to students any more.
Using an agent to find tenants is not cost effective anymore.
Member Since October 2024 - Comments: 197
10:32 PM, 17th April 2026, About 1 week ago
Reply to the comment left by Reluctant Landlord at 27/03/2026 – 13:27
Yes, I do believe due to the tribunal intereference, the overall rent will increase a lot over the years just as it did in Scotland because of the rent cap.
In England, the landlord will keep the proeprty empty for a year, after givening notice to sell. Either it will be sold or it will be rented for a lot higher rent. Empty properties will mean higher demands and higher rents.
So this government favouring the tenants and treating them like children is not going to help at all anyone.
Within 3 years, the PRS, labour created can collapse. They leave in a cuckoo world, making such severe laws against the landlords will just backfire and they will nto be re-elected again, unless the tenants dont learn what is going on or what’s around the corner.
Within 3 years there will be less properties available for rent, for the tenants to complain about their increase. 4 years time, properties that are not C will not be rented out at all. I have 2 properties that are D. One of them we will move in by selling our property ot owner occupier. The other may remain empty to do the works. I have started selling properties to owner occupier and 3 more will be sold this year. The tenants have been given notice so they will all be empty until sold.