Rent repayment orders
Updated . Checked against official sources.
A rent repayment order makes a landlord pay back rent to their tenant. You can apply if your landlord committed certain offences, such as letting a home that needed a licence without one. Since 1 May 2026 you can claim up to 24 months' rent, up from 12, and your landlord doesn't need to have been convicted.
- Up to
- 24 months' rent, less any Universal Credit paid towards it
- Time limit
- The offence must have happened in the 24 months before you apply
- Where
- First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber), using Form RRO1
- Cost
- £114 to apply and £227 for a hearing. Help with fees is available
- Conviction needed?
- No. The tribunal must be sure, beyond reasonable doubt, that the offence happened
Which landlord offences qualify?
- Letting without a licence where one was needed: a licensable HMO, or a home in a selective licensing area.
- Illegal eviction or harassment, or using violence to get in.
- Ignoring a council improvement notice or prohibition order.
- Breaching a banning order.
- Misusing a possession ground, such as claiming to sell and then re-letting within the ban period, and some continuing breaches of the new tenancy rules.
The Renters' Rights Act also adds offences linked to the landlord register and the new ombudsman, but that part isn't in force yet. For offences committed before 1 May 2026, the old 12-month limit applies.
How do I check whether my home needed a licence?
All shared houses with 5 or more people from 2 or more households need a licence everywhere in England. Many councils go further: we've recorded 139 additional or selective licensing schemes across 82 councils, which cover smaller shared houses or every rented home in an area. Find your council's schemes.
Every council must keep a public register of the licences it has granted, which you can ask to see. Some also publish it online.
How do I apply?
- Check the offence and dates. Note when it started, and that it's within the last 24 months.
- Gather evidence: your tenancy agreement, rent payments, and anything showing the offence, such as the council's licence register.
- Apply to the tribunal using Form RRO1. You can ask for the fees back if you win.
- Consider talking to your council. Councils can apply for orders too, and may already be investigating.
If your landlord was convicted or fined for the offence, the tribunal must usually award the maximum.
Get told when you can check your landlord
The government has said renters will be able to check whether a landlord is registered. We'll email you when that's possible, and if the rules on what you can see change. Nothing else.
Questions renters ask
What is a rent repayment order?
An order from the First-tier Tribunal making a landlord repay rent to a tenant (or Universal Credit to a council) because the landlord committed certain offences, such as letting a home without a required licence.
How much rent can I claim back?
Up to 24 months' rent for offences from 1 May 2026, less any Universal Credit paid towards your rent. Before that the limit was 12 months.
Does my landlord need to be convicted first?
No. The tribunal can make an order if it's satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the offence was committed, whether or not there was a conviction.
How much does it cost to apply?
£114 to apply and £227 if there's a hearing. You may get help with fees, and you can ask for them back if you win.
How long do I have to apply?
The offence must have been committed in the 24 months before the day you apply.