Rent repayment orders

A rent repayment order (RRO) is a legal demand that is issued by a tribunal. It requires private landlords to repay rent to their tenants of up to 24 months. RRO's are put into effect for many different reasons. 

For example; 

1. Breaches to licensing agreements 

- Managing an HMO without the required local council license. 

- Failing to obtain a license when the area is subject to selective licensing schemes. 

2. Not complying to housing authorities

- Ignoring formal legal orders from the council. eg. improvement notices.

- continuing to let out a property that the council has banned from being lived in. 

3. Eviction and Harassment

- Forcing a tenant out of their home without following the proper legal court process.

- Using threats towards the tenants, continuously entering the property without making the tenant aware.

- Letting a property after being banned from acting as a landlord, due to criminal behaviour. 

RRO first origninated from the housing act of 2004. This allowed tenants and local authorities to recover rent where properties where let without proper liscensing. Then the housing and planning act of 2016 shifted the RRO to broaden its affects beyond just licesning. The act brought in RRO's for illegal evictions, harassment, breach of banning order and the use of threats. In addition to this, the act also give the First-tibunal a consistent procedure for all RRO that are applied for. 

For a claim to uphold and succed, the tribunal must be satisfied that the landlord has committed one of the offences listed in section 40(3) of the Housing and planning act 2016 . If and where the tribunal has discretion on the offence (mainly liscensing offences) they will take into consideration the circumstances such as the landlords finances, conduct and wether they have been subject to a RRO prior. 

Key changes under the renters rights act:

- Maximum repayment cap from 12 months  to, up to 24 months,

- The application window can be within 24 months rather than 12 months.

- There are now 13 statutory offences not just 7. 

- You can now apply a RRO to Immediate, superior landlords (e.g. property owners), and company directors. 

To avoid RRO as a landlord you must treat licesing applications and renwals as a high priority by following the rules of the letter. To help this matter, jotting down the dates of renewals will be a handy reminder and never assume that licesing has been renewed by an managing agent or intermediary without any confirmation from the council. 

All landlords should keep any previous licence certificates, renwal application reciepts and any converstions ith the local authority. 

Overall with the Renters rights act, there has been a increase in the risk of recieving a RRO, therefore it is essesntial that all landlords are aware of these new offences and what the RRO entails. 

Additional reads

Tips for accidental landlords

Phases of the renters rights act 2026