Rent Repayment Order test case – tribunal saves landlord £29,000

A First-tier Tribunal ruled in favor of a landlord after tenants filed an unsuccessful Rent Repayment Order (RRO) claim. The landlord, represented by Landlord Licensing & Defence, had met licensing requirements by applying for an HMO licence in 2018. However, administrative failures by Southwark council resulted in the application being mishandled and omitted from their records.

Despite the council later admitting the landlord had complied with regulations, the tenants based their claim on earlier incorrect information. The tribunal found the tenants’ complaints minor, unsubstantiated, and exaggerated. It also criticized the council’s poor record-keeping and declined to reimburse the tenants’ costs.

The ruling saved the landlord from £29,000 in claimed rent repayments, highlighting the risks landlords face due to council errors and the value of expert legal representation in such cases.