Monday 14 Sept. 2026
Finding out that your rented home may have been an unlicensed HMO can be surprising. But finding out that you could potentially reclaim a significant amount of rent is even more surprising. Rent Repayment Orders (RROs) allow eligible tenants to seek repayment of rent where their landlord has committed certain housing offences, including managing or controlling an HMO that should have been licensed but wasn't. The published tribunal decisions tell a more interesting story than the headline rules alone.
£16,224: Three tenants, one unlicensed HMO
In a flat in, London, three tenants brought an RRO claim against their landlord.
The tribunal found that the property was an HMO that required a licence and that the landlord had committed the offence of managing an unlicensed HMO. The tenants were awarded a combined £16,224. That's £5,408 each. The award covered a 12-month period during which the property was being operated without the required licence. It is a useful example of something tenants sometimes overlook, the amount at stake can become substantial when several tenants are claiming rent for the same property.
Prentice, Bladen and Hill v Banks (2025)
LON/00BE/HMF/2024/0252
£7,225: Winning doesn't always mean getting all the rent back
In another London case in South London, tenants successfully established that their property was an unlicensed HMO. But they didn't receive every pound they had claimed. The tribunal ultimately awarded, £7,225. The award represented approx. 35% of the relevant rent after the tribunal considered the circumstances of the case. That's an important reality of RROs, proving the offence and deciding the amount of repayment are two different questions. An unlicensed-HMO claim isn't necessarily a simple calculation of "rent paid = money refunded."
Chinn & Ors v Hoilund-Carlsen & Anor (2026)
LON/00BE/HMF/2025/0614
There are unsuccessful claims as well!
Not every claim succeeds though. Perhaps the most important stories are the ones where tenants didn't win. In Lewes, tenants alleged that their six-bedroom property was an unlicensed HMO. But the tribunal found that the property actually had a valid HMO licence covering the relevant period. The RRO claim failed.
Another application for a property based in London was also dismissed. These cases highlight the first question every tenant should ask, 'Was the property actually required to have an HMO licence, and was it genuinely unlicensed during the period I lived there?
Chivers & Ors v Angela Gail Brooks (2025)
HAV/21UF/HMF/2025/0601
Final Takeaway
The biggest takeaway isn't that tenants can win £3,000, £7,000 or even £16,000.
It's that the details matter. Before considering an RRO, a tenant needs to establish things such as:
how many people lived at the property;
whether they formed separate households;
what facilities they shared;
whether the council required the property to be licensed;
whether a licence actually existed;
who the landlord was;
and how much rent was paid during the relevant period.
The good news is that much of this can often be investigated before a tenant decides whether pursuing an RRO is worthwhile. And the cases show that where the facts line up, an unlicensed HMO can potentially turn into a significant rent repayment claim.
This article is for general informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or legal representation. The information and case details referenced are drawn solely from publicly available legal records and other public-domain sources. Any names, personal details, properties or case outcomes are reproduced only as publicly recorded and are not intended to cast any individual or organisation in a particular light. Our website does not independently allege, investigate, or make findings about the individuals or matters discussed beyond what is stated in the underlying public records. Readers should verify the current law and seek independent legal advice regarding their own circumstances.
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