Property Guide · 2026/27
Rent Repayment Orders: Claiming Rent Back From a Landlord
If your landlord has committed a serious housing offence — such as running an unlicensed HMO or illegally evicting a tenant — you may be able to reclaim up to 12 months' rent through the First-tier Tribunal. This guide explains how Rent Repayment Orders work.
What a Rent Repayment Order Is
A Rent Repayment Order (RRO) is an order made by the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) requiring a landlord to repay rent — to the tenant, or to the local council where rent was paid via the Universal Credit housing element — because the landlord has committed one of a specific list of serious housing offences during the period the tenancy was in place.
Qualifying Housing Offences
- Operating an unlicensed House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) that should be licensed
- Operating a property without a required selective licence in a designated area
- Illegal eviction or harassment of a tenant
- Breaching an improvement notice or prohibition order
- Breaching a banning order made against the landlord
- Using violence to secure entry to a property
- Failing to comply with an overcrowding notice
See our HMO licensing guide for how to check whether a property should have been licensed in the first place.
How Much Can Be Reclaimed
A Tribunal can order repayment of up to 12 months' rent for the period during which the offence was being committed. It has discretion over the actual amount awarded, having regard to factors including:
- The seriousness of the offence
- The landlord's overall conduct, including any previous convictions or civil penalties
- The financial circumstances of the landlord
- Whether the landlord has paid, or been ordered to pay, a civil penalty for the same conduct
Where rent was covered wholly or partly by Universal Credit, the Tribunal directs the appropriate portion of any award to the local council rather than the tenant.
No Criminal Conviction Needed
Since the Housing and Planning Act 2016, tenants (and councils) can apply for a Rent Repayment Order directly to the Tribunal, proving the offence on the civil standard (balance of probabilities) — there is no need to wait for, or rely on, a separate criminal prosecution and conviction of the landlord first.
Applying to the Tribunal
- Gather evidence of the offence — tenancy agreement, rent payment records, council licensing register checks, correspondence, photos, and any council enforcement notices.
- Complete and submit the Rent Repayment Order application form to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber), paying the relevant application fee.
- The Tribunal will usually hold a hearing, at which both parties can present evidence.
- If the Tribunal is satisfied the offence occurred beyond reasonable doubt for criminal-standard offences, or on the balance of probabilities where the civil test applies, it decides on the level of repayment.
Many tenants get free initial guidance from a local Housing Rights charity or law centre before applying.
Time Limit to Apply
You generally have 12 months from the date the offence stopped being committed — for example, from the date a licence was finally obtained, or from when you moved out — to make your application. Do not wait until you have moved out to start gathering evidence, as records can become harder to obtain over time.