Property tribunals have cut seven in ten rent increases challenged by tenants in England since the Renters’ Rights Act came into force, new research shows, allowing landlords far smaller rises than they asked for.

Landlord Sums, a property finance platform, analysed 667 market rent decisions made by the First-tier Tribunal since 1 May 2026. It found that tribunals set the rent below the amount landlords proposed in 70% of cases, while only 26% of proposed increases were approved in full.

Landlords typically asked for a rise of around 14%, but tribunals allowed a typical increase of just 7.7%. In 10% of cases, tribunals allowed no increase at all, and in 4% of cases they set the rent below what the tenant was already paying.

Challenges have tripled since the new rules

Tenants are using their new powers far more often. The number of tribunal decisions rose from around 48 a month between January and April 2026 to an average of 165 a month from May to September, peaking at 194 decisions in September.

The bigger the rise landlords sought, the more likely tribunals were to cut it. Proposed rises of between 15% and 25% were cut in 83% of cases, and rises above 50% were cut in 88% of cases, according to the research.

What the Renters’ Rights Act changed

Under the Renters’ Rights Act, which took effect in England on 1 May 2026, landlords can raise the rent only once a year, using the statutory Section 13 notice procedure. Tenants who believe a proposed increase is above the open-market rent for the property can challenge it at the First-tier Tribunal.

Under the new rules, a tribunal cannot set a rent higher than the amount the landlord proposed, and the new rent takes effect from the date of the tribunal’s decision rather than retrospectively, which lowers the financial risk for tenants who decide to challenge.

The findings come as landlords weigh whether to raise rents after the October Budget increased tax on rental income, with rates set to rise to 24%, 44% and 49% from April 2027. The research covers only rent rises that tenants chose to challenge, so it does not reflect outcomes across the wider private rented sector, where most increases never reach a tribunal.