Rent Repayment Orders (RROs) UK 2026, What Every Landlord Must Know

Which offences trigger a Rent Repayment Order?

As of 1 May 2026, a tenant or local authority can apply for an RRO where the landlord has committed any of the following offences:

• Letting without a licence, operating a mandatory HMO licence or letting in a selective/additional licensing area without a licence
• Illegal eviction, unlawful eviction under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977 (changing locks, removing belongings, threatening tenants)
• Harassment, harassing a tenant to leave the property
• Failure to comply with an improvement notice, ignoring a local authority improvement notice under the Housing Act 2004
• Failure to comply with a prohibition order, continuing to let a property covered by a prohibition order
• Breach of a banning order, letting a property while subject to a banning order
• Serving an invalid Section 21 notice after 1 May 2026, under the RRA 2025, serving a Section 21 notice after commencement is itself a qualifying offence for RRO purposes
• Failure to register on the Private Landlord Database, as the database rolls out regionally from 15 December 2026, failure to register becomes a qualifying offence once live in your area

How much can the Tribunal award?

The maximum RRO award is 12 months' rent. The Tribunal determines the amount based on:

• The seriousness of the offence, a deliberate illegal eviction attracts a higher award than a minor licensing breach
• The conduct of the landlord, repeated offences or failure to engage with enforcement will increase the award
• The financial circumstances of the landlord, though tribunals have awarded near-maximum amounts even for landlords of modest means where the offence is serious
• Whether the landlord cooperated with the local authority
• A 10% reduction may be applied where the landlord has a previous clear record

Who can apply for an RRO?

Both tenants and local authorities can apply:

• Tenants: may apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) directly. The application must be made within 12 months of the offence.
• Local authorities: may apply where the tenant does not, particularly where the offence has affected multiple tenants or there is a public interest.
• The application fee is a nominal amount paid to the Tribunal, typically £100-£300. Legal representation is not required.
• Legal aid is not generally available for RRO applications, but specialist housing charities and Shelter often assist tenants.

The RRO process for landlords

If an RRO application is made against you:

• The Tribunal will notify you of the application and invite a response
• You have the right to attend a hearing, submit evidence, and make representations
• The Tribunal must be satisfied that you committed the relevant housing offence, this is on the balance of probabilities, not beyond reasonable doubt
• Even if you did not know you were in breach (e.g. a new landlord unaware of licensing obligations), the Tribunal can still make an order
• You can appeal a Tribunal decision to the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) on a point of law

How to protect yourself from an RRO

RROs are preventable through compliance. Key steps:

• Check licensing requirements before letting, use the local authority's postcode checker to confirm whether your property needs a selective, additional, or HMO licence
• Never attempt self-help eviction, changing locks, removing belongings, or cutting off utilities is illegal regardless of the level of rent arrears. Always use Form 3A and the courts.
• Do not serve Section 21 from 1 May 2026, serving a Section 21 notice on or after commencement is both invalid and a qualifying RRO offence
• Register on the Private Landlord Database when it opens, failure to register once mandatory will be a qualifying offence
• Comply with improvement notices, if the local authority issues an improvement notice, comply within the specified period or apply for a review. Ignoring it triggers RRO eligibility
• Keep all compliance documentation, if challenged, you must be able to show you held all required licences and certificates

The Rogue Landlord Database

Landlords who commit serious or repeated housing offences can be listed on the Rogue Landlord Database (England) and, under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, face a banning order that prohibits them from letting any property in England. A banning order application can be made by a local authority following a conviction for a relevant offence. Letting while subject to a banning order is itself a criminal offence.

Frequently asked questions