New rent-control law may push landlords to raise initial rents, experts warn

The Renters’ Rights Act, which began on 1 May, restricts tribunals from setting rent above the amount a landlord initially proposes, allowing only reductions or maintenance of that figure. While this gives tenants stronger protection when contesting increases, property experts fear landlords will counter by submitting higher first-year rents, knowing the proposal becomes the maximum the tribunal can award. LonRes analysis of 47 cases found tribunals often valued rents above landlords’ asks, yet the new rule capped the final rent at the original proposal, as illustrated by a Manchester case where a £1,200 offer was upheld despite a £1,300 valuation.

Industry voices such as Sim Sekhon of LegalforLandlords, Lucian Cook of Savills, and Sam Reynolds of Zero Deposit argue the reforms will push the market toward more evidence-based, higher starting rents. Tribunal filings have already more than doubled in May 2026, though many relate to pre-Act notices. Meanwhile, renters like Edith, facing steep yearly hikes and poor housing conditions, see the Act as a safeguard against unfair evictions, even as overall private rents are projected to climb 4-5 % by year-end.