Blog
Expert guides on tenant rights, rent increases, and the Section 13 process in England.
Appealing a rent tribunal decision to the Upper Tribunal: the tenant permission-to-appeal walkthrough 2026
If the First-tier Tribunal has decided your rent challenge and you believe it made a genuine legal mistake, you may be able to appeal to the Upper Tribunal. But appeals are not a second go at the same argument: you can only appeal on a point of law, you need permission first, and there is a strict 28-day clock that starts the moment the tribunal sends its reasons. This walkthrough explains what counts as an error of law, how to apply for permission step by step, and what to write, with template wording you can adapt.
Paper determination without a hearing (and bringing a McKenzie friend): the rent tribunal tenant walkthrough 2026
A rent challenge at the First-tier Tribunal does not always need you to attend a hearing. You can often elect a determination on the papers, where the tribunal decides on the documents alone. It is quicker and less stressful, but it puts all the weight on your written evidence. This walkthrough explains how to decide between a paper determination and an oral hearing, how to elect one, and, if you do attend, how a McKenzie friend can support you. It includes template wording for both choices.
Tribunal directions order and requesting an adjournment: the rent-challenge tenant walkthrough 2026
When you refer a rent increase to the First-tier Tribunal, the next thing you usually receive is not a hearing date but a directions order: a set of instructions telling both sides what to file and by when. Tenants often miss how important this step is. Get it right and your case is in good order before anyone walks into a hearing; ignore it and you can weaken a strong challenge. This walkthrough explains what a directions order is, how to comply step by step, and how to request an adjournment if you genuinely cannot meet a date, with template wording you can adapt.
Index-linked or CPI rent review clause after 1 May 2026: the tenant refusal walkthrough
Plenty of older tenancy agreements contain a clause that lets the landlord raise the rent automatically each year by inflation, often pegged to CPI or RPI. Since 1 May 2026 those clauses can no longer be used: every rent increase on a tenancy now has to go through the statutory Section 13 process, and a contractual review clause cannot override it. This walkthrough explains why an index-linked uplift is no longer enforceable, how to spot when a landlord is trying to apply one anyway, and gives you a template letter to refuse it calmly and correctly.
Tenancy deposit scheme ADR adjudication: tenant evidence pack walkthrough 2026
When you dispute deposit deductions, the scheme's free adjudication decides it on documents alone. The adjudicator never sees the property, so the case turns entirely on how you present your evidence. This walkthrough is the tenant-side guide to the ADR process: what the adjudicator looks for, where deductions get reduced, and a labelled evidence-index plus a fair-wear-and-tear depreciation schedule you can adapt.
Section 8 Ground 6 (demolition or reconstruction) tenant defence walkthrough 2026
Ground 6 lets a landlord seek possession to demolish or substantially reconstruct the property. It is mandatory, so it carries strict conditions that a tenant can test, plus a built-in entitlement to removal expenses. This walkthrough is the tenant-side defence: the conditions the landlord must meet, the alternatives a landlord must rule out, and a request-for-particulars letter you can adapt.
Section 8 Ground 9 (suitable alternative accommodation) tenant defence walkthrough 2026
Ground 9 lets a landlord seek possession by offering you suitable alternative accommodation. It is discretionary, the burden is on the landlord, and the court can refuse it even where alternative accommodation exists. This walkthrough is the tenant-side defence: how suitability is tested, where the offer usually falls down, and a rebuttal schedule plus request-for-particulars letter you can adapt.
Mislabelled as a lodger: tenant status walkthrough 2026
Some landlords write 'lodger agreement' on a document and assume that settles the question. It does not. Whether you are a lodger (excluded licensee) or a tenant (with full statutory protection) is a question of legal substance, not the label on the page. If the landlord does not actually live in the property, you are very probably an assured tenant whatever the agreement calls you. Here is the tenant walkthrough, with an assert-status letter template.
Landlord access without 24-hour notice: tenant refusal walkthrough 2026
Your landlord owns the bricks, but you have exclusive possession of the home. They cannot turn up unannounced, let themselves in with their key, or send agents and contractors round without your permission. This walkthrough is the tenant-side procedural instrument for refusing landlord access without proper notice, with statutory references and a cease-and-desist letter template you can adapt.
Section 8 notice: tenant procedural defects checklist 2026
Before you fight a Section 8 case on the merits of the ground, check whether the notice itself is procedurally valid. A defective Form 3 can kill the claim before a court ever reaches the substance. This walkthrough is the tenant-side procedural checklist: form, content, grounds, notice periods, particulars and service, with a request-for-particulars letter you can adapt.