Since the Renters’ Rights Act came into force on 1 May 2026, rent reviews have changed significantly for landlords.
The right for tenants to challenge a rent increase isn’t new. What has changed is the process, the potential financial consequences of a challenge – and, it appears, tenants’ willingness to use the First-tier Tribunal (FTT).
New figures show that 166 market rent decisions were made by property tribunals in July 2026, compared with just 44 in July 2025.
Before the reforms, an average of 42 market rent decisions were being made each month in the 12 months to May 2026. That jumped to 109 in May, 129 in June and 166 in July.
For landlords, the message isn’t that rent reviews should be avoided.
Quite the opposite.
Rent reviews need to be regular, properly evidenced and clearly communicated.
How Have Rent Reviews Changed Since 1 May 2026?
Under the Renters’ Rights Act, landlords can generally increase the rent once every 12 months using the Section 13 process. Rent cannot be increased in the first year of a new tenancy.
The landlord must give the tenant at least two months’ notice of the proposed increase using the prescribed Form 4A.
Crucially, the proposed rent should reflect the open-market rent – essentially, what the property could reasonably be expected to achieve if it were being let on the open market.
If the tenant believes the proposed increase is above the market rent, they can apply to the First-tier Tribunal to determine it.
And that’s where evidence becomes increasingly important.
Tribunal Rent Decisions Are Already Rising
The increase in tribunal activity since May is significant.
According to figures analysed by Hamptons and reported by Property Reporter:
- July 2025: 44 market rent decisions
- May 2026: 109
- June 2026: 129
- July 2026: 166
Of the cases decided in July, 60% had been brought after the new Renters’ Rights Act rules took effect.
The abolition of Section 21 and changes to the financial consequences of challenging an increase have removed some of the factors that may previously have discouraged tenants from taking their rent to tribunal.
For landlords, getting the rent review right – and avoiding an unnecessary dispute in the first place – is therefore becoming increasingly important.
Your Rent Increase Needs to Stand Up to Scrutiny
You now need to consider more than a couple of properties advertised on Rightmove.
A well-evidenced rent review should consider:
- Genuinely comparable properties – similar size, type, features and location, rather than simply properties on the same street.
- Actual agreed rents where available – these can provide stronger evidence than advertised asking rents.
- The condition of your property – your comparisons need to reflect the home your tenant is actually living in.
- Outstanding maintenance – unresolved heating problems, damp, repairs or other defects could affect the property’s open-market rental value.
- The wider local rental market – rather than relying on one or two conveniently chosen examples.
- Communication with your tenant – explain why the rent is changing and the reasoning behind the proposed figure.
That last point shouldn’t be underestimated.
Rather than simply telling a tenant their rent is increasing from £X to £Y, explaining how the figure has been reached and showing relevant comparisons gives them a clearer understanding of why the increase is being proposed.
And there is another reason landlords should make sure their evidence is strong before serving the notice.
It currently costs a tenant £47 to apply to the First-tier Tribunal for a market rent determination.
For the landlord, the financial consequences of a challenge could potentially be considerably greater.
If the tribunal makes its decision after the proposed increase was due to take effect, the determined rent will generally become payable from the next rent period following the tribunal’s decision, rather than being backdated to the original proposed increase date.
So even if the tribunal ultimately supports the landlord’s proposed rent, several months could potentially have passed during which the landlord continued receiving the old rent. There may also be professional or legal costs if assistance is required to prepare the case.
This doesn’t mean tenants shouldn’t exercise their right to challenge an increase they genuinely believe is above market value.
It means landlords need to make sure they can clearly explain and evidence why their proposed rent is appropriate.
Your Comparables Need to Reflect Your Actual Property
This is another area where landlords need to be careful.
You can’t simply find the highest rents being advertised nearby and use those as justification for your own increase.
Imagine you’re comparing your property with beautifully maintained homes achieving £1,400 per month, but your tenant has been reporting a heating problem for six months that hasn’t been rectified.
Are they really comparable?
The tribunal can take the condition of the property into account when determining its open-market rental value.
That means outstanding repairs, damp, heating issues or other defects could potentially affect what the tribunal believes the property would reasonably achieve.
Your evidence needs to reflect the property you’re actually renting out – not the property you wish you were renting out.
Don’t Let Years of Missed Rent Reviews Catch Up With You
There’s another common problem we see.
A landlord has a good tenant and doesn’t want to “rock the boat”, so the rent is left untouched.
One year becomes three. Three becomes five. Sometimes considerably longer.
Then the landlord realises their rent is significantly below the current market and wants to catch up in one large increase.
That’s rarely the best approach.
The tribunal is there to determine the open-market rent. It isn’t there to compensate a landlord for years in which they chose not to review their rent.
Meanwhile, the landlord’s own costs haven’t stood still.
Mortgage costs change. Insurance premiums rise. Contractors charge more. Maintenance and repair costs increase. Utilities may increase where they’re included within the rent.
That doesn’t mean rent should automatically increase every year.
But it should be reviewed regularly.
Regular rent reviews allow landlords to understand whether the rent remains appropriate for the current market and make evidence-led adjustments where necessary, rather than suddenly discovering a substantial gap between the rent being paid and today’s market.
Is Your Tenancy Ready for the New Rules?
Rent reviews are just one of many day-to-day landlord processes that changed when the Renters’ Rights Act came into force.
If you’re self-managing a rental property in Kent and aren’t completely confident that your tenancy processes have kept pace, our Tenancy Health Check can help.
We’ll review your existing tenancy and help identify areas where your documentation, compliance or management processes may need attention.
Because with tenants increasingly aware of their rights and tribunal activity already rising, it’s much better to find the gaps in your processes before somebody else does.
This article is intended for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Landlord and tenant circumstances vary, and landlords should seek appropriate professional or legal advice where required.
