Tenants will have to pay £47 to challenge a Section 13 rent increase through the First Tier Property Tribunal, the government has announced.

It follows concerns from tenant groups that high fees would deter renters from making an appeal once the Renters’ Rights Act takes effect.

In answer to a Parliamentary question, Justice Minister Sarah Sackman (pictured) said the government was starting the process of implementing a new fees framework in the Property Chamber.

“The purpose of the new framework is to deliver a fair and sustainable Property Chamber that is accessible to all,” said Sackman. “The framework includes a fee of £47 for applications to appeal a rent increase, with no hearing fee – this is one of the lowest fees across HMCTS.”

Fixed

There is currently a fixed fee of £114 for most applications to the First Tier Property Tribunal and a fixed hearing fee of £227.

Earlier this month, the Renters’ Reform Coalition wrote to Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook about the plans. It said polling of renters by Generation Rent found nine in 10 would challenge a steep increase if tribunals were free, but only half said they would still do so if forced to pay a fee of £200.

Director Clara Collingwood told The Mirror: “This government promised that they would protect renters from no fault evictions, and ‘empower renters’ to challenge unfair rent increases. Introducing a fee that tenants will have to pay to access rent tribunals would make it easier for rogue landlords to threaten tenants with steep rent hikes or evict them by raising rents beyond what is affordable.”

Sackman said the Help with Fees scheme would always be available to provide financial support to those who could not afford to pay fees, which were kept under continuous review. “In 2024/25, we remitted £91 million of fees income to protect access to justice,” she added.

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