What is a Rent Repayment Order?
A Rent Repayment Order (RRO) is an order made by the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) requiring a landlord to repay some or all of the rent paid by a tenant during a period when the landlord was committing a specified housing offence.
RROs were introduced by the Housing Act 2004 and were significantly strengthened by the Housing and Planning Act 2016. The Renters Rights Act 2025 further extended the scheme, increasing the maximum award to 24 months' rent and extending the limitation period to 24 months.
What offences can ground an RRO?
The Renters Rights Act 2025 significantly expanded the list of qualifying offences. The most common in practice are:
- Renting out a property without the required licence — whether mandatory HMO, additional or selective licensing
- Breaching a banning order made under the Housing and Planning Act 2016
- Unlawful eviction or harassment of a tenant
- Using or threatening violence to secure entry to a property
- Failing to comply with an improvement notice or prohibition order
- Failing to provide required information to a tenant at the start of a tenancy
The most common ground in practice remains operating an unlicensed property. However the expanded list means more tenants than ever may have a valid claim — it is worth checking even if your situation does not obviously involve a licensing issue.
Letting agents: If you rent through a letting agent, the RRO is made against your landlord — not the agent. However if the offence was committed due to the agent's negligence or breach, the landlord remains liable and cannot use the agent as a shield.
What properties need to be licensed?
There are three types of property licensing in England:
- Mandatory HMO licensing — applies to properties rented to five or more people forming two or more households, with shared facilities. This is a national requirement.
- Additional licensing — local councils can extend licensing to smaller HMOs. Many London boroughs have done this, covering properties with three or more people forming two or more households.
- Selective licensing — local councils can require all private rented properties in a defined area to be licensed, regardless of size. This is increasingly common in London.
London has the highest concentration of licensing schemes in England. As of 2026, 22 of 33 London boroughs operate some form of licensing beyond mandatory HMO requirements. If you rent privately in London there is a significant chance your property falls within a licensing scheme.
How much can be claimed?
The maximum award under the Renters Rights Act 2025 is the rent paid in the 24 months preceding the application. The Tribunal has discretion to award less than the maximum and will consider a range of factors including:
- The conduct of the landlord — whether they were aware of the licensing requirement and ignored it
- The conduct of the tenant — including any rent arrears or breaches of the tenancy agreement
- The condition of the property and how well it was managed
- Whether the landlord has since obtained a licence or taken steps to comply
- The financial circumstances of both parties
In practice: Tribunals have typically awarded around 60% of the maximum rent paid in cases where the landlord had no significant mitigating factors. On a rent of £1,000 per month over 24 months, that is approximately £14,400 per tenant.
How does a claim work?
How long do I have to bring a claim?
For offences committed on or after 1 May 2026, you have 24 months from the date the offence ended to make an application. For offences committed before that date, the previous 12-month limitation period may apply.
This means that if your landlord is currently operating without a licence, the clock is running. It is important to act promptly — particularly if your tenancy has already ended.