The First-tier Tribunal is where many of the most important tenant rights are actually enforced. If you want to challenge a rent increase, apply for a rent repayment order, or dispute a civil penalty your landlord is appealing, this is where it happens.
The Tribunal handles several types of case directly relevant to private tenants: Section 13 rent increase referrals (where you challenge a proposed rent increase as above market rate), rent repayment order applications (where you claim back rent because your landlord committed a housing offence), appeals by landlords against improvement notices or civil penalties issued by the local council, and disputes about HMO and selective licensing.
The process is less formal than the county court, and hearings can be conducted in person, by video, or on paper. You also don't need a solicitor. Application fees are low, too, with a rent repayment order application costing £100 with a further £200 if there's a hearing. A Section 13 rent referral costs £47.
The First-tier Tribunal is separate from the county court, which handles possession orders, deposit protection compensation claims, and disrepair claims.
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