Residential property tribunal receipts rose 56 percent year on year to 4,613 in April to June, fresh Ministry of Justice figures show, placing new attention on the capacity that will handle rent disputes under the Renters’ Rights Act.
The quarterly figure covers the first two months after the Act’s main tenancy reforms began on 1 May. But the Ministry of Justice has warned that its current data does not identify how many cases were rent-increase challenges, so the rise cannot be attributed to the new rules alone.
Landlords face a more formal route for disputed rent rises while the overall residential property caseload is already rising. The next set of statistics, covering July to September and due in December, will be the first full quarter under the new regime.
What the 4,613 tribunal receipts cover
The 4,613 figure is for cases received by HM Courts and Tribunals Service, not hearings held or decisions issued. It compares with 2,961 receipts in the same quarter of 2025, a rise of 1,652 cases.
Residential Property Tribunal work is broader than rent reviews. The category includes rent cases, leasehold enfranchisement and other leasehold disputes, Housing Act 2004 matters, park homes and Right to Buy work. The published quarterly line does not break the total down by case type, applicant or location.
That limitation is important. A 56 percent increase is a clear operational signal, but it is not evidence that rent challenges alone have driven the change. April also falls before the 1 May commencement date, leaving only two post-reform months in the period.
This follows Landlord Knowledge’s August report on rising First-tier Tribunal rent decisions, which tracked a separate measure of published decisions. The Ministry of Justice release looks instead at the wider volume of new residential property cases entering the system.
December data will provide the sharper test
The Ministry of Justice says it plans to add more detailed data on this tribunal in future. That matters because the Act now gives tenants a route to challenge most Section 13 rent increases through the First-tier Tribunal, while the Government prepares to move initial decisions to the Valuation Office.
Landlord Knowledge reported this week that the Government intends the Valuation Office to take initial rent-increase decisions. Until that system is operating, tribunal receipts remain the best official broad indicator of pressure on the property jurisdiction rather than a direct count of rent disputes.
The Ministry of Justice’s April to June tribunal statistics confirm that the July to September quarter will be published in December. That release should offer a cleaner view of demand after the new tenancy rules had a full three months to operate.
What this means for landlords
- If you are planning a rent increase: keep achieved-rent comparables, property-condition evidence and the Section 13 notice together before serving it.
- Watch for: the December data release. It will cover the first complete quarter after the Renters’ Rights Act tenancy reforms began.
- Do not assume: that the 4,613 receipts were all rent challenges. The official total includes several property and leasehold case types.
- For an active challenge: follow the existing statutory route and seek advice promptly rather than waiting for a future Valuation Office process.
- Bottom line: tribunal pressure is rising, and landlords need an evidence-led process even though this dataset cannot yet show the precise cause.
Editor’s view
The useful warning is not a claim that the Act has already overwhelmed the tribunal. It is that the system is starting the new rent-review era with more work already arriving at the door. December’s breakdown needs to be good enough to tell landlords whether the risk is genuine delay or simply a broader rise in property disputes.
Author: Editorial Team – UK landlord & buy-to-let news, policy, and finance
Published: 11 September 2026
Sources: Ministry of Justice tribunal statistics
Related reading: Hamptons says rent tribunals rose after RRA rule change
📘 Renters’ Rights Act: Complete Landlord Guide
Everything you need to know about the new rules – 1 May 2026
