Tribunals cut seven in ten challenged rent rises: what landlords should do

What happened

Landlords who ask for a large rent rise and see it challenged are often getting less than they asked for. According to Property Industry Eye, research by Landlord Sums looked at 667 market rent decisions made by the First-tier Tribunal since 1 May 2026.

Tribunals set the rent below the landlord's proposed amount in 70% of those cases. Only 26% of proposed increases were approved in full. In 10% of cases the tribunal allowed no increase at all, and in another 4% the rent fell below what the tenant was already paying.

Landlords typically sought a rise of 14%, while tribunals allowed a typical rise of 7.7%. The bigger the ask, the more likely it was to be cut: proposed rises of between 15% and 25% were reduced in 83% of cases, and proposed rises above 50% in 88%.

The number of cases is also climbing. Between January 2025 and April 2026, tribunals decided an average of 48 market rent cases a month. From May to September 2026 that rose to 165 a month, with 194 decisions in September.

What it means for a self-managing landlord

The increase in cases follows changes introduced under the Renters' Rights Act. Landlords in England can now raise rent only once a year, using the statutory notice procedure. Tenants can challenge a proposed increase at the First-tier Tribunal. Under the new rules the tribunal cannot set the rent above the amount the landlord originally asked for, and the new rent takes effect from the tribunal's decision date rather than retrospectively.

That last point matters because it reduces the financial risk for tenants considering a challenge. The Landlord Sums spokesperson put it this way: "The safest rise is one you can back up with local rents." The report also says evidence of comparable local rents could prove particularly important when a tenant disputes an increase, so it makes sense to have that evidence ready.

There are limits to what the figures show. The analysis covers only rises that tenants challenged, and most increases never reach a tribunal. Some of the decisions also relate to notices served before the Act took effect. So the numbers do not describe what happens to rent rises across the private rented sector as a whole, and they say nothing certain about any single case.

A sensible reading is modest. If you are planning a rise, ask for an amount you can explain, keep the evidence for it, and keep a clear record of what you served and when.

Where ServeProof fits

ServeProof makes no promise about how a tribunal will decide. What it covers is the paperwork side of being a landlord.

ServeProof prepares the documents the law says a tenant must have, sends them, and keeps a dated record of exactly what went to whom. That record shows what was sent and when, rather than leaving you to rebuild it from memory or old emails.

ServeProof is not a law firm. If you are unsure about a particular rent notice or a tribunal case, speak to a qualified adviser.