The London Renters Union has launched an online tool to assist tenants in challenging rent increases under powers introduced by the Renters’ Rights Act.
The initiative, branded as the Resist Rent Rises campaign, brings together tenant unions from across the country to help renters utilise First-tier Tribunals to contest rent rises they believe exceed market rates.
Tribunal process details
Under the Renters’ Rights Act, landlords are now restricted to increasing rents once per year using the statutory Section 13 process. Tenants can challenge increases through the First-tier Tribunal at a cost of £47 per application.
The London Renters Union states that tenants could potentially save thousands of pounds annually through successful challenges. The organisation notes that even unsuccessful challenges can delay rent increases from taking effect, reducing interim payments. Successful cases may also establish precedents that support neighbouring renters in similar disputes.
The campaign’s stated objectives extend beyond individual tenant assistance to include slowing rental growth and building support for rent control legislation.
Industry response
Chris Norris, Chief Policy Officer at the National Residential Landlords Association, said: “Rather than encouraging tenants to challenge rent proposals by default, and risk introducing unnecessary acrimony into the landlord-tenant relationship, we would always recommend an open and honest conversation with a view to finding compromise where possible.”
He added that direct negotiation “is far more likely to yield a positive outcome in the long-run.”
The tool’s launch comes as the UK property market shows regional divergence in rental and sales markets. The development also adds to increasing legal complexity across the property sector, with landlords and tenants navigating new regulatory frameworks introduced under recent legislation.
The campaign materials describe the tribunal process as simpler than court proceedings and emphasise the relatively low cost of applications compared to potential savings on rent payments.