Skip to main content
Dashboard

Rent repayment orders

Rent repayment orders doubled. Here’s what triggers one

The maximum a tribunal can order went from one year’s rent to two on 1 May 2026.

A tabbed folder of documents stands on a desk under a warm lamp, with a mug of tea beside it.
A tabbed folder of documents stands on a desk under a warm lamp, with a mug of tea beside it.

Up to two years’ rent

The maximum a tribunal can order went from one year’s rent to two on 1 May 2026.

More offences qualify

The list of offences an order can follow has been expanded — including letting a licensable property without a licence.

Councils can apply too

For rent paid through Universal Credit.

Check licensing for every property

An unlicensed property is the most common route to an order.

Keep certificates in date

With reminders that do not depend on you signing in.

Keep the rent record

An order is calculated from what was actually paid.

Where it sits

Rules summarised from the government’s Renters’ Rights Act overview for landlords (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/renters-rights-act-an-overview-for-landlords), published 1 May 2026. This is not legal advice; where a tenancy is unusual, take advice.

LetBuddy tracks licences and certificates as dated items and keeps the rent ledger. It cannot stop an order where an offence happened; it helps you show where one did not.

Common questions

How much can a rent repayment order be?

Up to two years’ rent since 1 May 2026, up from one.

Who can apply?

The tenant, at the First-tier Tribunal, and councils for rent paid by Universal Credit.

Does an unlicensed HMO count?

Yes, letting a licensable property without a licence is one of the offences.

Try it on one property

Your first property is free, permanently — the whole product, no card, no countdown.

Go to my dashboardLicensing by council →

You’re signed in — your portfolio is where you left it.

The week's landlord law and tax changes, on a Sunday

One email a week with what changed and what it means for you, drawn from the same posts as the news page. No product news, no offers. Unsubscribe in one click.

Read this next