Campaign groups claim that the Government’s plans to charge tenants to access rent tribunals could deter renters from challenging big increases and risk creating a ‘backdoor’ route to eviction.

The Renters’ Reform Coalition (RCC), which represents 18 housing and renters’ organisations, has written to Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook, outlining its concerns.

Clara Collingwood (pictured), Director at the coalition, says: “This Government promised that they would protect renters from no-fault evictions, and ‘empower renters’ to challenge unfair rent increases.

Introducing a fee that tenants will have to pay to access rent tribunals would make it easier for rogue landlords to threaten tenants with steep rent hikes.”

“Introducing a fee that tenants will have to pay to access rent tribunals would make it easier for rogue landlords to threaten tenants with steep rent hikes, or evict them by raising rents beyond what is affordable.

“And it will be renters on lower incomes – many of whom already struggle to cover bills and afford groceries due to the cost of their rent – who will be least able to afford to challenge an increase, and most exposed to economic eviction.

“These fees risk undermining security for millions of renters, and the most vulnerable of renters in particular, by opening a loophole in the Renters’ Rights Act – the Government must reconsider.”

A poll of renters conducted by another activist group, Generation Rent, reveals the effect it would have on the number of tenants willing to dispute increases.

Under review

The survey found that nine in ten renters would challenge a £200 monthly rent increase if tribunals were free to access, but only half would do so if they had to pay a £200 fee.

A Government spokesperson told The Mirror: “We always keep courts and tribunal fees under review and are currently assessing the introduction of fees in line with practice across the courts and tribunals.”