GovWire

Overview

If a tenancy started before 15 January 1989, this is likely to be a regulated or secure tenancy.

A landlord or a tenant of a regulated or secure tenancy can make an application to have a fair rent registered.

A fair rent may be lower than the market rent.

Landlords can usually apply to register a fair rent from 1 year, 9 months after the last effective date. Tenants can usually apply after 2 years. Early applications will be considered if changes to the property or tenancy since the last registration date render the existing rent to be no longer fair.

Joint applications by the landlord and tenant to register a fair rent may be accepted at any time.

Find out how much rent can be charged for a registered regulated tenancy property.

Apply to the rent officer to register a fair rent

To qualify to apply to a rent officer to register a fair rent, a tenant must have a regulated or secure tenancy. A landlord or a tenant can apply to have a fair rent registered.

To apply to have a rent registered, fill in a rent registration form.

The rent registered by VOA rent officers is the maximum rent a landlord can lawfully charge.

Landlords must apply to have the rent re-registered if they want to increase a registered rent.

Find out more about changes to regulated tenancies.

Increases to a fair rent

If there have been no major changes to the property, the re-registration will be subject to Maximum Fair Rent legislation.

The Maximum Fair Rent calculation is based on the existing registered rent multiplied by a figure (based on the change to the Retail Price Index from the last registration to the current registration) plus 5%, then rounded up to the next 50 pence.

For queries regarding fair rents, Local Housing Allowance rates, and to contact a Rent Officer, please email:NSOhelpdesk@voa.gov.uk or use the Contact Form and we will respond as soon as possible.