Analysis of First-tier property tribunal decisions in England reveals that landlords secured their full proposed rent increases in only 28.4% of cases during September 2026, according to research from Cyborg Finance.
The study examined 74 tribunal decisions and found that 21 cases resulted in landlords receiving their proposed rent increase in full, while 29 cases (39.2%) resulted in partial increases. Twelve cases ended with no increase, and another 12 concluded with either a reduction or rejection.
Rent tribunal outcomes
Overall, 71.6% of cases ended with a smaller increase than requested, no change, a rent reduction or a struck-out case. Across the 68 cases where there was a change in rent, the combined monthly rent rose from £93,285 to £99,509, representing a net increase of 6.7%.
Average monthly rent moved from £1,372 to £1,464, approximately £92 more per month or £1,104 annually. The aggregate increase rose from 6.3% in August to 6.7% in September, an increase of 0.4 percentage points.
The findings come as the Renters’ Rights Act has given tenants expanded powers to appeal against rent changes, similar to how recent regulatory changes have affected leaseholders.
Processing timelines
Cyborg Finance’s tracker shows an average of approximately 91 days between service of a landlord’s rent notice and a tribunal decision, across cases with both dates recorded since May 2026.
Mark Hosker, Mortgage Adviser at Cyborg Finance, stated: “The rent a landlord proposes and the rent a tribunal determines are not always the same. Landlords should be ready to support proposed rents with comparable local evidence, while tenants should remember that challenging an increase does not guarantee their rent will stay unchanged.”
He added that while more than two-thirds of September cases still resulted in an increase, the £47 tribunal fee could prove worthwhile for tenants, given that a challenge could potentially delay higher rent payments by around four months.
The research highlights the growing gap between landlord expectations and tribunal outcomes in the rental market, with implications for both landlords managing their buy-to-let portfolios and tenants facing rent increase notices. The data reflects analysed tribunal decisions rather than rent increases across the private rented sector as a whole.
