What Is a Rent Repayment Order?
A Rent Repayment Order (RRO) is a legally binding order from the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) requiring a landlord to repay up to 12 months of rent to their tenant. Introduced under the Housing Act 2004 and significantly expanded by the Housing and Planning Act 2016, RROs are one of the most powerful remedies available to private tenants.
Unlike a deposit claim, you do not need to prove financial loss — and you do not need a criminal conviction against your landlord. The Tribunal applies a civil standard of proof (balance of probabilities). The RRO is a penalty on the landlord for committing a housing offence.
When Can You Apply for an RRO?
You can apply where your landlord has committed any of the following offences:
In our five boroughs, renting without a licence is by far the most common ground — because all five have local licensing schemes that go well beyond national requirements.
Understanding the Three Types of Licence
- Mandatory HMO licence: Required nationally for properties with 5+ occupants from 2+ households. Operating without one is a criminal offence.
- Additional HMO licence: Extends licensing to smaller shared properties in specific boroughs. In Hackney and Islington this covers properties with just 3 people from 2 households — meaning many ordinary shared flats require a licence.
- Selective licence: Required for all private rentals in designated areas, regardless of size. Newham operates this borough-wide — virtually every private rental in Newham needs a selective licence.
Licensing Across Our Five Boroughs
| Borough | Mandatory HMO | Additional HMO | Selective Licensing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tower Hamlets | ✓ Yes | — | ✓ Designated areas |
| Hackney | ✓ Yes | ✓ Designated areas | — |
| Islington | ✓ Yes | ✓ Borough-wide | — |
| Newham | ✓ Yes | — | ✓ Borough-wide |
| Haringey | ✓ Yes | — | ✓ Designated areas |
If you rent in Newham, your landlord almost certainly needed a selective licence. Newham's scheme covers virtually every private rental in the borough. We check this at no charge.
How Much Could You Recover?
recoverable
date of offence
Examples: A tenant paying £1,600/month in an unlicensed Newham property could recover up to £19,200. A tenant paying £900/month in an unlicensed Islington HMO for 10 months could recover up to £9,000.