Most rent disputes rule in favour of tenants – warning
Summary
Recent analysis of residential property tribunal decisions suggests that most rent dispute outcomes have favoured tenants, with many landlord-proposed increases reduced or left unchanged. The article also highlights that rent increase challenges can take several months to resolve, increasing the financial risk for landlords where evidence for the proposed rent is weak.
Why it matters
Surveyors involved in rental valuation, evidence gathering or advisory work need to understand how tribunal scrutiny affects rent-setting and dispute risk. The piece reinforces the importance of robust market evidence and correct notice procedures when advising on rent increases.
Key points
- LonRes analysis found 1,325 rent disputes since January 2025.
- 73% of tribunal decisions came in below the landlord’s proposed rent.
- Almost half of decisions cited an evidence problem.
- Average time to decision was 96 days, rising to 142 days in London.
- Section 13 Notice is described as the only lawful route to raise rent under the new changes.
This is an RPSA summary of a publicly available article. The full content remains with the original publisher.
