Property tribunals recorded their highest number of market rent decisions in July as tenants increasingly challenged proposed increases following reforms to the private rented sector.
Figures analysed by Hamptons show 166 decisions were made during the month, up from 44 in July 2025.
The increase follows the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Act at the beginning of May. Tenants brought 60% of the cases decided in July after the new rules took effect, while the remainder had already been lodged.
Tribunal caseloads had been considerably lower before the reforms. An average of 42 market rent decisions were made each month during the 12 months to May 2026. This increased to 109 decisions in May and 129 in June, before reaching 166 in July.
The rise comes after changes designed to give tenants greater scope to challenge rent increases.
Under the previous system, some tenants may have been discouraged from disputing an increase because landlords could serve a Section 21 notice to regain possession without having to establish specific grounds. Section 21 evictions were abolished under the Renters’ Rights Act.
The financial implications of taking a rent dispute to tribunal have also changed.
When a tribunal agrees with a landlord’s proposed rent, the new amount now applies from the date of its decision. Previously, the higher rent could be backdated to when the tenant first applied to the tribunal.
Kristine Ng, partner at Morr & Co, said:
"The increase in tribunal challenges is not particularly surprising. Many landlords are seeking to increase rents to reflect current market conditions, while tenants remain under significant affordability pressures and are increasingly willing to question whether those increases are justified."
"The right to challenge a rent increase is not new. What has changed is that the Renters' Rights Act has made disputes about rent increases much more prominent in practice."
"Tenants appear increasingly willing to use the tribunal to test whether a proposed increase genuinely reflects the market rent for the property. The abolition of section 21 'no fault' evictions and changes to the financial consequences of bringing a challenge have also reduced some of the factors that may previously have discouraged tenants from doing so."
"For landlords, the key point is that the tribunal is concerned with market rent, rather than simply whether a landlord has experienced increased costs."
"A landlord may have perfectly legitimate reasons for seeking a higher rent, but if a challenge is brought the question will ultimately be what rent the property could reasonably achieve on the open market. Landlords should therefore ensure that any proposed increase is supported by evidence of comparable local lettings and prevailing market conditions."
"As awareness of these rights grows, rent determination cases are likely to become a much more prominent feature of the residential landlord and tenant landscape, placing increasing demands on tribunal resources."
