Rent repayment orders: what landlords need to know

First introduced in 2004, rent repayment orders (RRO) were an additional measure used to penalise landlords for certain housing offences.  

A rent repayment order allows tenants and local authorities to apply to the tribunal demanding that the landlord repay the rent paid while an offence was being committed.  

As of 1st May 2026, the rules around rent repayment orders have been significantly changed by the Renters’ Rights Act. There are now more offences that can lead to a rent repayment order, tenants have longer to apply for an order, and rent repayment orders can be made against all landlords, rather than just the immediate landlord.  

This guide reflects the rules that apply to rent repayment orders for offences committed on or after 1st May 2026.  

What are rent repayment orders?

A rent repayment order is an order issued by the property tribunal where a landlord has committed one of the qualifying offences.  

For offences committed on or after 1st May 2026, the tribunal can order up to two years' rent to be repaid, including rent met through Housing Benefit or the Universal Credit housing costs element.  

Each applicant can only recover money they paid, so a tenant claims for the rent they paid and the local authority claims for the benefit it paid. 

What are the offences a rent repayment order may be made for?

For offences committed on or after 1st May 2026, a rent repayment order can be sought for any of the following: 

1. Violence for securing entry 
2. Eviction or harassment of tenants 
3. Failure to comply with improvement notice 
4. Failure to comply with prohibition order etc 
5. Control or management of unlicensed HMO 
6. Control or management of unlicensed house 
7. Breach of banning order 
8. Knowingly or recklessly misusing a ground for possession. 
9. Letting or marketing a property during the restricted period after using the moving-in or selling ground (currently 12 months from serving the Section 8 notice). 
10. Continuing breaches of the tenancy reform rules in the Renters’ Rights Act. These include not providing a written statement of the tenancy agreement, rental discrimination and the rental-bidding requirements. 

The last three offences (8, 9 and 10) were added by the Renters' Rights Act and sit within Section 16J of the Housing Act 1988 on 1st May 2026. They were not offences before 1st May 2026 so a rent repayment order cannot be applied for if the behaviour occurred before that point. 

How offences committed before 1st May 2026 are handled

Offences committed entirely before 1st May 2026 are still dealt with under the previous rules. Among other things, this caps orders at a maximum of 12 months' rent with a 12-month window to apply for an order. 

Offences committed on or after 1st May 2026 follow the new rules, allowing the tenant more time to apply for an order and raising the maximum amount of rent repayable. 

Where an offence started before 1st May 2026, and continued afterwards, the tribunal should apply the old rules to the period before that date and the new rules to the period after it. 

Who can issue a rent repayment order?

The First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) deals with applications for rent repayment orders. Applications are made using form RRO1, and either side can appeal the decision to the Upper Tribunal.