Tenants urged to ‘flood’ tribunals over rent rises

Landlords seeking even minimal rent increases could face tribunal challenges after campaign groups encouraged tenants to contest rises.

The Telegraph reports that tenants’ groups in Oxford, London and Manchester are promoting challenges even where tenants can afford the proposed increase.

Applications cost £47 under the rules introduced in May, with tenants continuing to pay their existing rent while the tribunal considers their case.

Rent tribunal delay warnings

Chris Norris, of the National Residential Landlords Association, told the Telegraph: “It is disappointing that campaigners appear to be using the frailty in the system to instigate a de facto rent freeze by ‘flooding’ the tribunal with potentially vexatious claims.

“This is irresponsible and will lead to poorer outcomes for landlords and tenants who rely on a functioning tribunal system.”

Nathan Emerson, the chief executive of Propertymark, told the newspaper: “The tribunal process is an important safeguard against unfair rent increases, but it should not be used as a tactic to deliberately create delays.”

Jae Vail, a spokesman for the London Renters Union, said: “Every renter should exercise their hard-won legal right to challenge the unaffordable rent increases that landlords are demanding from us.”

Union urges ‘resistance’

A guide from a network of tenants’ unions says tenants can apply to a tribunal up to one day before their proposed rent increase takes effect.

Oxford Renters Union puts the time taken to reach a decision at five to six months from the date of appeal.

Its website states:

“Renters who challenge increases save £1,140 per year on average.

“Rent tribunals save you money even if you lose.

“The more people that take cases to the tribunal, the slower it will be for everyone, and the longer you will pay the lower rent.

“Even if you think you can afford the rent increase. Even if your proposed rent increase is minimal. Resist. Resist on principal.

“Resist for the others in your community who can barely afford their groceries. Resist because landlords simply do not need and do not deserve another pay rise by leeching off of our hard work. Our labour should not be their pocket money.”

Minister welcomes tribunal decision

The tenants’ campaign follows Property118’s report of a landlord whose request for an extra £50 a month resulted in a tribunal cutting the existing rent by £200.

Housing minister Matthew Pennycook shared a link to that case on X on Tuesday evening, describing it as an example of how the rules empower ‘private renters to challenge unreasonable rent increases’.

He said: “If a tenant believes a proposed rent increase is above the open-market rent, they can refer the matter to the first-tier tribunal.”

Under the Renters’ Rights Act, landlords can increase rent only once a year.

A Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government spokesman said: “Our Renters’ Rights Act empowers private rented sector tenants to challenge unreasonable rent increases through tribunals – stopping landlords from using increases as a backdoor means of eviction.”