Nearly three quarters of rent dispute cases decided by property tribunals since January 2025 have resulted in lower rents than landlords proposed, according to analysis by property data firm LonRes.
The research, which examined 1,325 rent disputes from the register of residential property tribunal decisions, found that 73% of cases resulted in rents below the landlord’s proposed amount, with a median reduction of 7.5% among those cut. Only 18% of decisions confirmed the proposed rent.
Evidence problems cited in half of cases
The analysis revealed that 47% of tribunal decisions cited evidence problems when ruling on rent increases, highlighting a common failure by landlords to provide adequate supporting documentation for their proposed rises.
Processing times for disputes averaged 96 days from application to decision, extending to 142 days in London. During this period, landlords cannot collect the proposed higher rent, resulting in lost income.
Implications under Renters’ Rights Act
The findings come as changes under the Renters’ Rights Act make a Section 13 Notice the only lawful method for raising rent. Landlords must now provide at least two months’ notice, with increases limited to once annually and capped at open market rates.
Tenants retain the right to refer rent increase notices to a First Tier Tribunal. Chris Welch, Director of Sales at LonRes, noted that tribunals cannot set rents higher than the landlord’s notice, and determined rents take effect only from the rent period following the decision, not retrospectively.
“It can be both a costly and time-consuming process for a landlord and underscores the importance of setting rent rises correctly from the onset and importantly with a firm evidence base,” Welch said.
The data suggests landlords may face increased financial and administrative burdens under the new regulatory framework, particularly those who fail to provide comprehensive market evidence to support proposed rent increases. The high failure rate in tribunals could prompt more cautious approaches to rent setting across the sector, potentially moderating rental growth in disputed cases.
