A rent repayment order (RRO) is a powerful tool for tenants. It allows them to hold landlords accountable for certain housing offences.
RROs support the enforcement powers already available to local authorities. These powers include significant financial penalties. Together, they help deter non-compliance and protect renters.
Under the Renters Reform Bill, local authorities will also be able to claim RROs where rent has been paid through Universal Credit or Housing Benefit.
What Is a Rent Repayment Order?
A rent repayment order is a legal order requiring a landlord who has committed an offence to repay rent to either the tenant or the local authority.
- Tenants who believe their landlord has committed an offence can apply to the First-tier Tribunal for an RRO.
- If the Tribunal is satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that an applicable offence has been committed, it can order the landlord to repay a specified amount of rent.
- Local authorities can also apply for an RRO where rent was paid using Universal Credit or Housing Benefit.
This fits into the wider reform landscape for landlords and tenants, including updates under the Renters Reform Bill. For example, changes to possession grounds and landlord obligations are discussed in this related article: Renters Reform Bill Update – Grounds for Possession (24.11.2025)
Offences That Can Lead to a Rent Repayment Order
The Renters Reform Bill expands the list of offences for which an RRO can be sought. These include:
New and Expanded Offences
The new offences include the following:
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Firstly, knowingly or recklessly misusing a possession ground.
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Secondly, breaching restrictions on letting or marketing a dwelling.
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In addition, continuing to breach tenancy reform requirements after receiving a financial penalty.
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Similarly, continuing to breach redress scheme requirements after a financial penalty has been imposed.
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Furthermore, providing false information to the Private Rented Sector (PRS) database.
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Finally, failing to register with the PRS database.
Overall, these additions are designed to strengthen enforcement and improve compliance across the private rented sector.
Existing Offences
RROs also still apply to:
- Violence used to gain entry
- Illegal eviction
- Harassment of occupiers
- Failure to comply with improvement notices
- Control/management of an unlicensed house or HMO
- Breach of a banning order
What Is Changing Under the New Act?
- Wider Application
Rent repayment orders will now also apply to superior landlords and company debtors such as corporate “rent-to-rent” operators — companies that lease properties and sublet them without appropriate regulation.
- New Offences Covered
RROs will apply to additional offences brought in under the Renters Reform Bill, reinforcing tenant-led enforcement and aligning with broader reforms.
- Tougher Penalties for Repeat Offenders
Landlords who have previously faced enforcement action for an offence will be required to pay the maximum rent repayment amount if they commit the same offence again.
- Increased Maximum Repayment
The maximum repayment period will double from 12 months to 24 months’ rent, increasing the deterrent effect and making RROs more worthwhile to pursue.
- Longer Time Limit to Apply
The period in which a tenant or local authority can apply for a rent repayment order will increase from 12 to 24 months, making enforcement easier and reducing the risk of claims being “timed out.”
- Mandatory Maximum Awards
If a landlord has already been convicted of, or fined for, relevant offences under the Act (including licensing offences), they will be required to pay the maximum RRO amount as a mandatory consequence.
Why This Matters for Landlords
These changes are part of a wider shift toward improved regulation of the private rented sector. For example, landlords also need to understand other compliance issues such as damp and mould responsibilities — an area where councils can now take enforcement action and tenants can seek compensation: New Compliance for Landlords – Damp and Mould
In Summary
Rent repayment orders are becoming:
- Stronger – increased penalties and extended application
- More accessible – longer time limits for claims
- Wider in scope – more offences and parties covered
They play an increasingly important role in enforcing compliance and protecting renters in the private rented sector — and are part of a broader set of reforms affecting landlords, tenants, and the housing market as a whole.