A recent tribunal ruling has resulted in a landlord being ordered to reduce the monthly rent by £210, overturning a proposed £17 increase. The case involved tenant Davide Martinelli and Get Living, a buy-to-rent property company. Martinelli challenged the planned rent rise on the grounds that it was unfair compared to similar properties. The tribunal agreed, finding the existing monthly rent of £2,560 excessive and setting the new rate at £2,350.

This case is among eight tribunal decisions reported by property data firm LonRes where landlords’ proposed increases led to reductions in rent, including some cuts to existing rates. These developments follow the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Act in May, which has simplified the process for tenants — estimated at 4.3 million nationwide — to contest rent hikes through property tribunals.

The legislation has also removed the section 21 "no-fault" eviction clause, preventing landlords from evicting tenants without valid cause, such as rent non-payment or antisocial behaviour. Tenant advocates say this change has encouraged more challenges, as the previous risk of eviction deterred tenants from disputing rent rises.

Get Living supported the Renters’ Rights Act and tenants’ ability to challenge increases but maintained that the proposed rents reflected current market conditions and property amenities. They noted this was the only instance to date where a tribunal set a rent below their proposal.

Tenants are required to pay the existing rent amount until a tribunal reaches a decision, which typically takes two to three months. This contrasts with prior rules allowing landlords to charge backdated rent at the new rate. Campaign groups like the Oxford Renters Union encourage tenants to bring cases to tribunal to slow overall rent inflation and secure longer periods of lower rent.

Data indicates a surge in tribunal applications since the Act’s implementation. Market rent decisions in July reached 166—the highest monthly figure recorded—four times greater than July 2025 numbers. LonRes reported 126 tribunal decisions since late June, with 81 resulting in rents lower than landlords’ proposed amounts.

The tribunal’s approach has drawn mixed reactions. Dan Wilson Craw from Generation Rent described the rulings as a “vital check” on landlords seeking to increase rents beyond market value, helping tenants exercise greater negotiating power. He noted the majority of challenges result in rents being set below landlords’ requests, suggesting tenants are making strategic decisions about when to dispute.

Conversely, Chris Norris from the National Residential Landlords Association expressed concern about the tribunal’s capacity to process cases efficiently and with adequate information. He warned of “potentially vexatious” claims encouraged by campaign groups that might flood the system, causing delays. Norris also criticised the lack of high-quality rent data, which complicates fair comparisons and judicial determinations.

The tribunal rulings and recent legislative changes underline ongoing tensions between tenant protections and landlord interests amid rising tax burdens. Landlords have faced multiple financial pressures in recent years, including the phasing out of mortgage interest tax relief from 2017 to 2020 and sharp increases in mortgage rates since 2021. The budget announced this week further raised income tax rates on rental earnings by an additional two percentage points starting April, intensifying financial challenges for property owners. The Office for Budget Responsibility cautioned that these tax increases might drive rents higher and exacerbate long-term rental property shortages.