Your landlord has sent a Section 13 notice proposing a rent increase you think is way above market rate. You have a right to challenge it at the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber), and the tribunal has the power to set a different figure. You apply before the new rent kicks in, and the tribunal looks at comparable rents and the evidence from both sides. Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, the tribunal cannot set rent above what a private landlord proposed in a notice served since 1 May 2026, so applying cannot leave you paying more than the notice asked.
Wales has a separate system under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016, so this guide covers England only.
Who can challenge a rent increase at the First-tier Tribunal?
The First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) hears rent increase challenges from assured tenants in England. This guide covers private renters, whose assured shorthold tenancies and fixed terms were abolished on 1 May 2026, so if you signed a fixed-term contract before then it has since converted to an assured periodic tenancy, and the same route applies.
If you rent social housing from a housing association, the Renters' Rights Act changes don't apply to your tenancy yet, and different rules decide whether and how you can challenge an increase, so check GOV.UK's guidance before you apply.
The challenge starts with your landlord's Section 13 notice. If you think the notice itself is invalid, say so in your application. Separately, if you rent privately and your tenancy began less than 6 months ago, you can ask the tribunal to review the starting rent even without a notice.
If you rent privately and your landlord raised your rent verbally or by email with no Section 13 notice, the increase has no legal force and you can refuse to pay it.
You must submit your tribunal application before the start date specified in the Section 13 notice. Miss that date and, if the notice is valid, the new rent takes effect. An invalid notice doesn't raise the rent by itself, so get it checked even after that date.
If your home should have a licence and doesn't, you may also have a separate Rent Repayment Order claim.
What the Renters' Rights Act 2025 changed for rent appeals
Before 1 May 2026, a tribunal could set the rent higher than your landlord proposed. Now, for a private landlord's notice, it sets the market rent or the landlord's figure, whichever is lower, so the worst outcome is the rent your landlord proposed.
These rules apply to private landlords' rent-increase notices served on or after 1 May 2026. If your landlord served the notice before then, the old rules still govern it: the tribunal can set a rent higher than the landlord proposed, and the rent it sets usually applies from the start date in the notice.
Before 1 May 2026, some landlords answered a tribunal application with a Section 21 no-fault eviction notice. Section 21 ended for private tenancies on 1 May 2026, so a private landlord who wants possession now has to prove a legal ground in court.
The Act did not add a specific protection against retaliation, though. A landlord can still rely on a genuine ground, such as selling or moving in, and there is no retaliation defence once a mandatory ground is proved. Misusing a ground, or re-letting within the restricted period after using the selling or moving-in grounds, can lead to a fine or prosecution.
How to build your evidence for a rent tribunal appeal
The tribunal decides what the open market rent for your property would be.
Start with comparable listings. Pull current asking rents from Rightmove, Zoopla, and SpareRoom for properties in the same area, with similar size, bedroom count, and condition. Screenshot them with the date visible.
Previous tribunal decisions are useful too. If a similar property in your area was assessed at a particular figure six months ago, that is legitimate evidence. Search the GOV.UK residential property tribunal decisions under 'Rents' and look for decisions near you.
Document your property's condition honestly. If there's outstanding disrepair, damp, or issues your landlord hasn't fixed, those are relevant to market rent. If you have unresolved repair issues, read our guide to claiming disrepair compensation alongside this process, because you may have a parallel claim.
How to submit a rent increase tribunal application
You apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) for an open market rent determination using Form MR1, online or on paper.
There is an application fee, so check the current amount on GOV.UK. There's no fee if you live in a social rented home, or if your rent-increase notice was dated before 1 May 2026. If you're on certain benefits or a low income, you may get help with the fee.
Include a copy of the Section 13 notice and your tenancy agreement. Attach your comparable rent evidence if you have it. GOV.UK says to apply before the start date even if you're still gathering evidence.
The government announced on 9 September 2026 that HMRC's Valuation Office will take over decisions on rent-increase challenges in England, but no date has been set, so for now you still apply to the First-tier Tribunal.
If you apply online, the tribunal sends a copy of your application to your landlord. If you apply by email or post, send your landlord a copy of the application and attachments yourself, and keep proof that you did. Both of you can then send written statements.
The tribunal decides whether it needs to inspect your home or hold a hearing, and it often decides on the documents alone, so put your whole case in writing. If you want a hearing, ask for one on the form. Either way, the written decision sets the rent, which is then binding.
What happens at a rent tribunal hearing
You don't need a solicitor to attend. Speak clearly, stick to the evidence, and don't exaggerate. If a comparable property is slightly larger than yours, say so.
Your landlord may attend with their own comparables. The panel weighs everything and makes its own assessment.
For a private landlord's notice served since 1 May 2026, the increase is not backdated. If the tribunal decides before the start date in your notice, the new rent starts on that date. If it decides after, the new rent starts from the first rent period beginning on or after the decision.
If that would cause you undue hardship, the tribunal can set a later date, within 2 months of its decision. Ask for this in your application and give full details of your finances.
On a private landlord's notice served since 1 May 2026, don't start paying the higher rent before the decision. If you already have, ask your landlord to refund or credit the difference, and keep records of every payment you make during the appeal period.
Red flags that weaken a rent tribunal appeal
Weak or irrelevant comparables undermine your case. Using properties in a different postcode, a different property type, or listings that are more than a few months old gives the tribunal little to work with.
Read your landlord's statement and comparables when they arrive. If theirs are larger or better located, point that out in your response.
Remedy can check whether your Section 13 notice is valid and turn your comparable rents into a bundle the tribunal can work with. It also tracks the start date on your notice, so the deadline doesn't slip past you.
