Tenants could be refunded hundreds of pounds

The relationship between landlords and tenants is more often than not a gruelling one. However, tenants could find themselves with the upper hand if their landlords fail to abide by one particular rule.

If the landlord has not licenced the property properly with the local council, they could be forced to cough up thousands in refunds. This is particularly the case when the landlord has rented a single property to multiple tenants.

Councils need such properties to be licenced so they can check that it meets the right standards for multiple occupations. If the property isn’t licenced, a tenant can apply for a rent repayment order (RRO) through a tribunal.

Although the process involves fees, these fees could be claimed back if the case is successful, and the amount a tenant gets refunded is dependent on how much rent they pay.

For example, if a tenant pays £750 a month to rent a property and has lived in that property for a year, they could get a refund of £9,000 if the tribunal orders the landlord to refund the full amount.

Those who claim housing benefit via Universal Credit can also make this claim via the council or the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).