RentSOS

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Expert guides on tenant rights, rent increases, and the Section 13 process in England.

Section 8 vs Section 21 post-RRA: your tenant defence playbook for 2026
26 Apr 2026

Section 8 vs Section 21 post-RRA: your tenant defence playbook for 2026

Section 21 is abolished. From 1 May 2026, every eviction in England must use Section 8 with a named legal ground. Here is how to defend each one.

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Private Landlord Ombudsman: a tenant's step-by-step complaint walkthrough (2026)
26 Apr 2026

Private Landlord Ombudsman: a tenant's step-by-step complaint walkthrough (2026)

The new Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman is free for tenants and binding on landlords. Here is the complete walkthrough: who qualifies, what to complain about, how to submit, and what you can win.

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Landlord harassment after a tenant challenge: your rights post-Renters' Rights Act
25 Apr 2026

Landlord harassment after a tenant challenge: your rights post-Renters' Rights Act

Section 21 is abolished from 1 May 2026. Tenants who challenge a Form 4A are now protected from retaliatory eviction in a way they were not before. The post-challenge harassment playbook for England.

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Help with Fees for the £47 rent tribunal fee: the tenant eligibility walkthrough
25 Apr 2026

Help with Fees for the £47 rent tribunal fee: the tenant eligibility walkthrough

From 1 May 2026 the rent tribunal application fee is £47. Help with Fees can cover it in full for tenants on low incomes. Here is the eligibility walkthrough and EX160 form guide.

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Your Form 4A just arrived: the first-week tenant playbook for the Renters' Rights Act
25 Apr 2026

Your Form 4A just arrived: the first-week tenant playbook for the Renters' Rights Act

From 1 May 2026, all rent increases on private tenancies in England use Form 4A. Here is the day-by-day tenant playbook for the first week, with templates and a tribunal route map.

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Form 4 vs Form 4A: the tenant walkthrough for the 1 May 2026 transition fortnight
24 Apr 2026

Form 4 vs Form 4A: the tenant walkthrough for the 1 May 2026 transition fortnight

In the seven days either side of 1 May 2026 the Section 13 regime switches from Form 4 to Form 4A. The date of service decides which rules apply - and the tribunal risk is very different between the two. Tenant walkthrough.

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Rent review clause abolition on 1 May 2026: the tenant decision tree
24 Apr 2026

Rent review clause abolition on 1 May 2026: the tenant decision tree

From 1 May 2026 a rent review clause in a private residential tenancy agreement in England is void. Here is the tenant decision tree for the three scenarios you might actually be in.

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What the rent tribunal actually measures: market rent and the £47 decision maths
23 Apr 2026

What the rent tribunal actually measures: market rent and the £47 decision maths

The First-tier Tribunal measures one thing: today's open market rent for your property. Here is what that means in practice, how to assemble the comparables that match, and the £47 decision maths from 1 May 2026.

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What to do if your Section 13 rent increase already took effect and you never applied to the tribunal
21 Apr 2026

What to do if your Section 13 rent increase already took effect and you never applied to the tribunal

Missing the tribunal window feels final. It isn't. If your Section 13 rent increase has already kicked in and you never filed a tribunal application, you still have four real routes. This guide walks you through each one, with the templates

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How to object to your landlord's comparables at a rent tribunal hearing
21 Apr 2026

How to object to your landlord's comparables at a rent tribunal hearing

Your own comparables are only half the battle. The other half is what you do with the landlord's.

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