London Renters Union
We're a member-led, campaigning union taking action to transform the housing system and win homes for people, not private profit.
Join LRUAbout the campaign
Join renters, unions and communities across the country demanding an end to unaffordable housing.
The average renter in England currently spends almost 40% of their income on rent. Since 2016, rents have increased by almost half or more in places like Greater Manchester, Bristol and London. This rapid rent rise affects social renters who are pushed out of their neighbourhoods as Local Housing Allowance covers fewer and fewer homes.
The cost of living is getting higher and higher, with private renters experiencing higher increases in living costs than the rest of the UK. Higher costs of housing drives poverty and force many of us to cut back on necessities. This especially affects low-income households, pushed out of their neighbourhoods as rent increases mean local housing allowance covers fewer and fewer homes.
The British public know that soaring rents are a huge problem. New YouGov data has revealed that 80% of people support rent controls as the solution.
Renters unions, trade unions, charities and renters across the country are campaigning for rent controls. By challenging rent rises at the tribunal, we help build the movement for rent controls by showing renters won’t put up with unaffordable rent rises.
We have the right to challenge our rent increases
Rent increases can be challenged through something called a 'Rent Tribunal' - where you can argue that the rent your landlord wishes to charge is too high given the condition of the property and comparable local rents on the open market. At the moment, these are barely used, with only 557 Market Rent decisions published in 2024.
Thanks to tireless campaigning on housing affordability and security, tenants unions in the UK have won new and stronger rights in the Rent Tribunal system, and better protections from evictions.
We need to use these rights or we lose them. Now that Section 21 'no-fault' evictions have been abolished, and other changes to Rent Tribunals better protect renters, all renters should be able to use rent tribunals to resist their rent rises and stay in their homes.
Rent tribunals can save you money even if you lose.
Renters who challenge their rent increases are on average £1,140 per year better off than they would have been had they accepted the landlord’s proposed increase according to research by anti-poverty charity Z2K.
Even if you lose, by taking your rent increase to tribunal, you put off paying the higher rent until the tribunal has made a decision.
That means if you challenge a £100pcm rent rise and it takes two months for your rent tribunal case to be heard, you save £200 (minus a £47 court fee if those apply to you) even if the rent tribunal decides the rent your landlord is proposing is 'market rent'. If you win and the rent rise is reversed, your landlord cannot increase your rent for another year which would save you £1200.
Evidence of disrepair, poor conditions and of comparably lower rents in your neighbourhood will help you to win the tribunal. This can mean reducing the increase, keeping your rent the same as it is now, or in some cases even lowering it below what you pay at the moment.
Rent tribunals are not hard to use - and tenants unions as well as community groups are ready to help you use them. Our Events and Trainings and Resources pages can give you support navigating the process.
Challenging your rent rise helps your neighbours.
You also help other people in your community by slowing the rise of rents in your area. Accepting a higher rent means other landlords can get away with charging higher rents to their tenants. Estate agents and landlord lobby groups encourage landlords to push up rents collectively by showing them that some landlords in the area have got away with higher rent rises.
Challenging rent rises will reduce increases and therefore keep the 'market rate' lower for everyone. The more of us take a stand and bring our rent rises to tribunal, the greater the downward pressure on local rents and the harder it is for landlords and letting agents to justify never ending increases.
Rising private rents also affects social tenants, because social rents and affordable rents are calculatedas a percentage of 'local market rents', and on property values which often reflect potential rental income from a property.
We can't stop until we have rent controls
Rent tribunals aren't a perfect or even a good system, but they are the tools we currently have. What we really need is rent controls. Tenants Unions across the country pushed to introduce rent controls to halt spiralling rents, but the final Renters Rights Act did not include them.
That's why thousands of us turned up on the streets at the National Housing Demo on 18th April 2026, demanding rent controls and greater central government investment in better council homes.
Access to affordable rents should not rely on navigating a tribunal system. Since the government has not given us any other way to fight unaffordable rents, we need to use our rights to resist rent rises using tribunals but call for rent controls and more social housing so that affordable housing is a reality for everyone.
Get involved
The best way to get involved in resisting rent rises or fighting for better housing is to join a tenants union! Tenants unions are groups of renters who support each other with housing issues and fighting for better housing conditions.
Tenants unions who are part of the Resist Rent Rises campaign include:
Greater Manchester Tenants Union
We are a democratic, multicultural organisation, led by its members to help secure safe, affordable homes for everybody in Greater Manchester.
Join GMTU
Oxford Renters Union
We are a member-led, Oxford-based renters union that puts renters’ needs first. We are funded by and run by our members. Our union aims to combat housing injustice at every level.
Join ORU
Sheffield Tenants Union
STU is a member-led union fighting for safe, secure and affordable housing for everyone. As a tenants union we can share knowledge and skills, and speak with a united voice to demand better housing.
Join
Lancaster & Morecambe Tenants and Community Union
TACU (Tenants and Community Union) is an organisation of people across Lancaster and Morecambe taking collective action to challenge the powerful and improve our lives. We’re standing together against rising living costs, rip-off landlords, and low wages.
Join
Food & Solidarity Newcastle
Food & Solidarity is a community group run by its members in Newcastle. We help people fight eviction, housing disrepair, and food poverty. We do this by working together — not by asking for donations.
Join