You may be able to appeal to the Residential Property Tribunal if you’re a private tenant in England and think your rent is too high.

The tribunal is independent, and can change the rent if it’s unfair.

You can usually appeal when you get a letter from your landlord about a rent increase.

The tribunal can keep the rent at the same level or lower it. In most cases they also have the power to increase the rent.

Time limits for appealing to the tribunal

There are deadlines for appealing to the tribunal, depending on the type of tenancy:

• assured or assured shorthold tenancy - before the new rent is due to start
• regulated tenancy - within 28 days of the rent being decided by the rent officer

Check your tenancy agreement or use Shelter's tenancy checker if you're not sure what type of tenancy you have.

Appeal to the tribunal

To appeal to the tribunal, fill in the application form for your type of tenancy:

• application to the tribunal for determination of a rent under an Assured Shorthold Tenancy
• application referring a notice proposing a new rent under an Assured Periodic Tenancy or Agricultural Occupancy to the tribunal
• application referring a notice proposing different terms for a Statutory Periodic Tenancy to the tribunal

Send the form to your local regional office.

Regulated tenancies

Write to the Valuation Office Agency if you have a regulated or ‘protected’ tenancy.

Valuation Office Agency
Wycliffe House
Green Lane
Durham
DH1 3UW

They will look at your case and forward it to the regional tribunal office for your area.

Get help and advice

Contact Shelter or the Residential Property Tribunal for help and advice.

Shelter
0808 800 4444
Find out about call charges

Residential Property Tribunal
Contact your nearest regional office.

How the tribunal makes its decision

The tribunal may ask for:

• more information - eg what you think the rent should be and why
• permission to inspect the property

You may have to go to a hearing, with your landlord, to tell the tribunal why you think the rent is too high.

If you and your landlord agree, the tribunal can decide on the case without a hearing and using written evidence.

The tribunal’s decision

The tribunal will send its decision in writing, saying:

• what the rent should be
• the date the rent is payable from
• the reasons for its decision

If you disagree with the tribunal’s decision

You can only challenge the tribunal's decision by appealing to the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber).

As a leaseholder in England, you can appeal to the Residential Property Tribunal if you disagree with changes to your lease, including:

• service charges
• extending a lease
• buying the freehold
• insuring the building

The tribunal is independent and can decide if a charge is too high or unreasonable, or if changes to the lease are fair.

Appeal to the tribunal

To make an appeal to the tribunal, fill in the appropriate leasehold application form and send it to your regional tribunal office.

Cost of appealing to the tribunal

You may have to pay a fee if:

• you’re appealing against a service or administration charge
• the case goes to a hearing

The fee for a tribunal hearing is £190.

You can pay by postal order or cheque (payable to ‘HM Courts and Tribunals Service’).

Help paying costs

You can ask for help with your fees if you’re on benefits, eg Income Support. Complete the ‘Application for a fee remission’ form.

Get help and advice

You can get help and advice from the Leasehold Advisory Service or the Residential Property Tribunal.

Leasehold Advisory Service
Online enquiry form
020 7383 9800
Find out about call charges

Residential Property Tribunal
Contact your nearest regional office.

What happens after you send your appeal

The tribunal may ask for:

• more information - eg a copy of the lease
• permission to inspect the property

You may have to go to a hearing with the freeholder.

If there isn’t a hearing, the tribunal will ask you to send written evidence.

The tribunal will send you a letter giving its decision (usually within 6 weeks of any hearing).

If you disagree with the tribunal’s decision

You may be able to appeal against the decision to a higher tribunal, called the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber).

To do this, you have to ask the Residential Property Tribunal for permission to appeal. Complete the ‘Application for permission to appeal a decision to the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber)’ form.

You must send this form to your regional tribunal office within 28 days of getting its decision.

Find out more about appealing to the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber).

The Residential Property Tribunal can help solve disagreements in England about:

• residential property (including council homes)
• park homes (static caravans or mobile homes)

Residential property

You can appeal to the tribunal if you disagree with certain council decisions about your property, such as:

• notices about the condition of the property - eg, improvement notices or demolition orders
• licensing decisions about a house in multiple occupation

You can also appeal if you’re refused the ‘right to buy’ your council or housing association home because it’s suitable for elderly people.

You can also ask for some or all of your rent to be repaid if you were living in an unlicensed house in multiple occupation.

Park homes

You can appeal to the tribunal if you disagree with a decision about your park home - eg to:

• change or end a residence agreement
• change the pitch fee
• move a park home
• repair a park home
• transfer a park home to someone else

Appealing to the tribunal

To make an appeal to the tribunal, you have to fill in the appropriate application form:

• notices about the condition of your property
• licensing of houses in multiple occupation
• decisions about your park home

Send the form to your regional tribunal office.

Cost of appealing to the tribunal

You may have to pay a £155 fee for some cases. The application form will tell you if you have to pay a fee.

You can pay by postal order or cheque (made payable to ‘HM Courts and Tribunals Service’).

Help paying costs

If you’re on benefits, like Income Support, you can ask for help with your fees. Complete the ‘Application for reduction or waiver of fees’ form.

Get help and advice

You can get help and advice from your local Citizens Advice Bureau or the Residential Property Tribunal:

Citizens Advice
0844 411 1444 (England)
0844 477 2020 (Wales)
Find out about call charges

Residential Property Tribunal
Contact your nearest regional office.

What happens after you send your appeal

The tribunal may ask you for permission to inspect the property or park home.

You may have to go to a hearing with the council or site owner.

If there isn’t a hearing, the tribunal will ask you to send written evidence.

The tribunal will send you a letter giving its decision, usually shortly after any hearing.

If you disagree with the tribunal’s decision

You may be able to appeal against the decision to a higher tribunal, called the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber).

To do this, you have to ask the Residential Property Tribunal for permission to appeal. Complete the ‘Application to the Residential Property Tribunal for permission to appeal a decision to the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber)’ form.

You must send this form to your regional tribunal office within 28 days of getting its decision.

Find out more about appealing to the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber).