Blog
Expert guides on tenant rights, rent increases, and the Section 13 process in England.
Can the tribunal set my rent higher than the landlord asked? The rule that changed on 1 May 2026
The single biggest reason tenants never challenge a rent increase is the fear it could backfire and leave them paying more than the landlord asked for. Under the old rules that was a real risk. Since 1 May 2026 it is not: the First-tier Tribunal can no longer set your rent above the figure your landlord proposed. This walkthrough explains exactly what changed, why the old deterrent existed, what the worst case is now, and how to check which rule applies to your notice. England only, Section 13 rent challenges.
The landlord served a fresh Section 13 after the first one was defective: what now?
Spotting a defect in a Section 13 rent increase notice is a win, but landlords often respond by simply serving a corrected one. This walkthrough explains whether a landlord can re-serve, what happens to the once-a-year limit and the notice period when they do, how a withdrawn notice differs from a defective one, and what a tenant should check on the second notice. England only, Section 13 rent challenges.
Your rent tribunal hearing is by video: how to join and prepare for a remote CVP hearing
More rent tribunal hearings now happen by video rather than in a hearing room, and the notice you get can be light on detail. This walkthrough explains how a remote First-tier Tribunal hearing works, how to join a CVP or Teams hearing, what to have ready on screen, how to ask for a reasonable adjustment or an in-person hearing, and what to do if your connection drops on the day. England only, Section 13 rent challenges.
Who can validly serve a Section 13 notice: letting agents and notices after a sale
A Section 13 rent increase notice can be wrong before you even read the figures, if the person who served it had no authority to. A letting agent can serve a notice, but only with the landlord's authority, and a notice served by the old landlord after the property has been sold may not be valid at all. This walkthrough explains who can validly serve a Section 13, how to test whether the server had authority, and what to ask for if you think they did not. England only, Section 13 rent challenges.
Waiting for your rent tribunal decision: how long it takes and how to chase a late one
The hearing is over, you have made your case, and now there is silence. The wait for a rent tribunal decision is one of the most stressful parts of the whole process, mostly because nobody tells you how long it is supposed to take. This walkthrough sets out the realistic timeline, why a property inspection can add weeks, the point at which it is reasonable to chase, and exactly what to write to the tribunal office if your decision is overdue. England only, Section 13 rent challenges.
No landlord name and address on your rent demands? Why the rent may not legally be due (s47/s48) — tenant walkthrough 2026
Here is a rule a lot of renters have never heard of. If your landlord has not given you a name and an address in England or Wales where you can serve notices on them, your rent is treated as not legally due until they do. It does not mean the rent is wiped, but it can be a genuine point of leverage, especially with a faceless agent or an absent landlord who only ever gives you a PO box or an email. This walkthrough explains sections 47 and 48 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 in plain English, what they do and do not give you, and how to ask for the missing details. England only.
Landlord ignoring the rent the tribunal set: how to enforce it and reclaim what you overpaid — tenant walkthrough 2026
Winning at the rent tribunal is one thing. Getting the landlord to actually charge the rent the tribunal set is another. Some landlords carry on demanding the figure they originally proposed, or keep deducting the higher amount by standing order, as if nothing happened. The tribunal's decision is binding, so you have clear options: insist on the correct rent, recover anything you have overpaid since the effective date, and if needed pursue it as a debt. This walkthrough explains exactly how, with a demand template and the money-claim route. England only, after a Section 13 determination.
Costs at a rent tribunal: when you can claim, when you might pay (Rule 13) — tenant walkthrough 2026
One of the biggest fears that stops tenants challenging a rent increase is the thought of a costs bill if they lose. The good news is that the rent tribunal almost never orders one side to pay the other's costs: each side normally bears its own. There is a narrow exception, Rule 13, for unreasonable behaviour, and it can cut both ways. This walkthrough explains how costs really work at the First-tier Tribunal, when you could ask for your costs back, when a landlord might try it on against you, and what to write if you need to make or answer a costs application. England only, Section 13 rent challenges.
Withdrawing or settling a rent tribunal challenge before the hearing: the tenant walkthrough 2026
Not every rent challenge has to go all the way to a hearing. If your landlord offers a sensible compromise, or if your evidence turns out weaker than you hoped, you may want to settle on an agreed figure or withdraw the challenge altogether. Both are legitimate, but they have consequences worth understanding first, especially what happens to the proposed rent and to your right to challenge again. This walkthrough explains how withdrawing and settling work, the risks of each, and how to do it safely, with a template you can adapt.
Asking the tribunal to set aside or correct its own rent decision: the tenant walkthrough 2026
Before you reach for an appeal, there is often a quicker, cheaper route. If your rent tribunal decision contains an obvious slip, or if something went wrong in the process, such as you not receiving the hearing notice, the First-tier Tribunal can correct or set aside its own decision. These powers are limited and have tight deadlines, but in the right case they fix the problem in days rather than months. This walkthrough explains when each power applies, how to ask, and what to write, with template wording you can adapt.