What are Landlord-Tenant Disputes and How To Resolve Them in 2026?

In 2026, things have changed from May onwards, including the end of Section 21 no-fault evictions and a new Ombudsman service. Many people still don’t know how Landlord-tenant disputes in the UK can be resolved under current rules. These disputes can also be costly; over a third of professionals (36%) report it costs between £1,000 and £5,000, and one in five (21%) say costs exceed £5,000. 

Let’s find out what counts as a landlord-tenant dispute under UK tenancy law, from rent arrears and deposit disagreements to repairs, harassment and eviction, and show you how each one can be resolved.

What are the Common Landlord-Tenant Disputes?

Here are the common landlord-tenant problems and a step-by-step workflow for resolving each type of conflict efficiently.

Rent Arrears

Unpaid rent is one of the most common causes of landlord-tenant disputes. If tenants do not pay the rent for previous months, it becomes a serious reason for conflict if not solved properly. Landlords in this situation need to check the previous record of tenants’ rent and send a notice to the renters to pay rent. If they do not follow the legal rules and do not solve their issue by communicating with each other, then it will be solved by the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber).

If talking to the tenant does not work and the arrears continue to build up, the landlord can apply to the County Court for possession under Section 8 of the Housing Act 1988. There are three main grounds they can use:

Ground 8 (mandatory): The court must grant possession if the tenant owes at least 3 months’ rent, or 13 weeks’ rent if they pay weekly. This amount must be owed both when the notice is served and at the hearing.

Ground 10 (discretionary): The tenant owes rent, but the arrears are below the Ground 8 threshold.

Ground 11 (discretionary): The tenant has repeatedly paid rent late, even if they are not currently behind by a large amount.

Landlords can use Ground 8 together with Ground 10 or 11 in the same notice. This can help if the arrears fall below the Ground 8 threshold before the court hearing, as the court may still consider the other grounds.

Disrepair & Hazards

Any damage or hazards to the property reported by tenants, but landlords fail to repair within required timeframes, is another form of dispute. The disrepairs and hazards include a leaking roof, broken heating, faulty wiring or a risk to health or safety, e.g., mould, exposed wires, damp, unsafe flooring, or gas leaks. If the landlord still doesn’t act after multiple tries, tenants can ask the council to inspect the property under the HHSRS system, which rates hazards by severity, or check it against the Decent Homes Standard.

Deposit Disputes 

Another dispute arises when the landlord doesn’t follow the government-approved tenancy deposit scheme (TDS) and doesn’t return the security deposit. Behind this conflict, there can be multiple reasons: damage to property, unpaid rent or bills, and possibly cleaning or condition disputes. If not solved properly through communication, tenants may report to the tenancy deposit scheme’s dispute resolution service.

Illegal Eviction & Harassment

One of the main factors of a dispute is illegally evicting or harassing tenants. When landlords evict or threaten the tenants without any reason or legal notice. Then tenants can report to the local council or tribunals. They can also inform the tenancy dispute service schemes.

Breach of Quiet Enjoyment

This happens when a landlord’s actions (or a neighbour’s, if the landlord doesn’t step in) stop a tenant from peacefully enjoying their home, such as repeated unannounced visits, loud building works, or ignoring noise complaints from other residents. Tenants have a legal right to quiet enjoyment of their property, and repeated breaches can be reported to the council or challenged through the PRS Ombudsman. 

Read our guide on right to quiet enjoyment breaches for more detail on what counts as a breach and how to handle it.

Commercial Tenancy Disputes

The Renters’ Rights Act doesn’t cover commercial tenancies, so disputes here revolve around the lease itself rather than housing law. The most frequent conflicts are: rent arrears leading to forfeiture, disagreements when a lease comes up for renewal, and arguments over repairing or service-charge obligations.

Renewing your commercial property lease

Most tenants have the right to renew their lease when it ends, but a landlord can refuse if you’ve breached the lease (for example, haven’t paid rent) or if they need the premises for their own business or home. If the lease is protected under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954, a landlord can only block renewal on specific statutory grounds, such as persistent late payment, redevelopment of the property, or they want to occupy it themselves.

Ending a commercial property lease early

Ending a lease early is another common cause of dispute. Normally, tenants have to keep paying rent for the full term unless the lease has a break clause. A landlord can only end a lease early (without a break clause) if the tenant fails to pay rent or breaks another term,  by using a forfeiture clause. However, if they challenge forfeiture in court, they may be allowed to stay in the property while the case is ongoing.

Because commercial leases are contractual rather than governed by residential housing law, most disputes are resolved through negotiation, the lease’s own break or forfeiture clauses, or ultimately the county court.

HMO-Specific Disputes

Houses in multiple occupation (properties shared by at least three unrelated tenants who share a kitchen, bathroom, or toilet) come with extra rules on top of standard tenancy law. So disputes centre on licensing, safety, and overcrowding instead of just rent.

A landlord letting a large HMO (five or more tenants from more than one household) must hold a licence from the council, and letting an unlicensed HMO can lead to an unlimited fine. Tenants can report an unlicensed or poorly maintained HMO to the council’s environmental health team, who assess the property using the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS).

Common HMO complaints include: 

• Bedrooms smaller than the council’s minimum size
• Poor fire safety (missing smoke alarms, blocked escape routes)
• Disrepair in shared kitchens or bathrooms
• Disagreements over cleaning or bin collection in communal areas

Disputes between housemates themselves, such as noise, cleanliness, or shared bills, are not something a landlord is legally required to step into. Though a good landlord will help mediate to protect the tenancy.

Most HMO issues are reported to the council rather than a court. If the landlord doesn’t fix a licensing or safety problem after being asked, the next step is escalating to the environmental health team, or later, the PRS Ombudsman once it opens to complaints.

Main Causes of Landlord-Tenant Disputes

Most landlords want a smooth relationship with their tenants, but disagreements can still happen. According to a 2026 survey of over 1,000 UK letting agents by LegalforLandlords, rent arrears are the single most common cause of tenancy disputes, making up 21% of cases, followed closely by property damage and disagreements over the property’s condition at the end of a tenancy (16% each).

Other common causes include:

• Rent increases that tenants feel are unfair or poorly explained
• Noise, nuisance, or anti-social behaviour complaints
• Disagreements over pets or breaches of the tenancy agreement

Recent research shows 35% of UK letting professionals have experienced a tenancy dispute, so if you’re going through one right now, Real Estate Agents London can help you work through these issues.

Key Changes for Landlord Tenants Disputes UK 2026

The Renters Rights Act 2025 is bringing in major changes from May 2026 (in  England only) that directly affect how Landlord-tenant disputes are handled. The new dispute landscape is as follows:

Section 21 Abolished

Landlords can no longer serve no-fault eviction notices to tenants using Section 21. It has been one of the biggest reasons for landlord-tenant disputes in the UK because tenants could be evicted without any reason. But now every eviction must be processed under Section 8 possession grounds with legal evidence.  

Rent Arrears Thresholds

Under the new Renters’ Rights reforms, the rent arrears threshold for Ground 8 has increased from two months to three months. Landlords can also serve a Section 8 notice using Ground 10 or Ground 11 when the arrears are lower. These are discretionary grounds, so there is no fixed rent arrears threshold. Now, tenants get more breathing room to sort out temporary financial issues, but landlords have to face longer periods without rental income.

Landlords can secure their passive rental income and void periods using our Guaranteed Rent Scheme. 

The PRS Ombudsman Changes 

From May 2026, all private landlords must join an approved Private Rented Sector (PRS) Ombudsman scheme. This is a completely new dispute resolution route which can handle deposit disputes, repair issues, service complaints and tenancy term disagreements. 

Decisions are legally binding, and landlords must comply with them or face serious penalties.

Rent Increase Disputes

Landlords in England can only increase rent once a year by giving at least two months’ notice. The rent increase notice is served using the Section 13 process. This will reduce conflicts over frequent and sudden rent hikes. It provides tenants with legal grounds to challenge excessive rent increases at the tribunal.

Landlord Compliance Deadlines Creating Potential Disputes

By 31st May 2026, landlords must provide all tenants with a government official information sheet about the Renters’ Rights Act changes. They can download the information sheet from the government website. Failure to provide the sheet can result in a fine of up to £7,000.

It may introduce a new type of risk of disputes, as tenants can report to local authorities that landlords aren’t following their legal responsibilities.

Discrimination Disputes Are Now Clearer

Under the Equality Act 2010, it is unlawful for landlords to refuse tenants because they receive benefits, or because they have children. Landlords must assess prospective tenants on affordability and reliability, not income source or family status. Tenants who believe they’ve faced discrimination can challenge it through a county court claim, or raise it with the Ombudsman.

Quick Reference: For Landlords and Tenants

Here’s a side-by-side summary of the key points from the 2026 reforms, so landlords and tenants can see at a glance what’s changed for them.

Landlord-Tenant Disputes: How To Resolve

Landlord-tenant disputes can be resolved in a friendly manner by following these simple steps to keep the tenants and landlords satisfied.

Quick Overview: The Dispute Resolution Journey

Not sure where to start? Most disputes follow a similar path, from simplest to most formal: 

Informal Discussion → Mediation → PRS Ombudsman → Tribunal → Court. 

Most cases get sorted in the first two steps, and courts are usually a last resort.

Informal Resolution & Negotiation

This is the simple formal way to resolve disputes through communication between the tenants and the lenders. They try to agree each other on one point solution like arrears in instalments, fixing repairs, or returning a deposit. 

This direct conversation can be placed through a letter, email, or a meeting. It results in a faster, simpler, and less stressful solution to the disputes without involving any tribunal.

Mediation

In this process of solving any dispute, a third-party person called a mediator is hired by the tenants and landlords. Mediators try to solve their problems in person or online after hearing from both parties. They made the right decision that led to the solution of their issues.

Mediation’s usually cheaper and quicker than going to a tribunal or court. Some mediation services offer it for free or for a small fee. They keep it confidential, and whatever gets discussed stays between the landlord. tenant, and the mediator.

Tribunals & Courts

When the issue is not resolved by the informal resolution and mediation process. Then there is a need to consult with tribunals and courts to solve the problem. This is a hectic and stressful situation for both tenants and landlords. You may choose the following options:

1. The First-Tier Property Tribunal handles specific types of disputes like rent levels, deposit protection issues, and disrepair claims. Cases can take 2-6 months to resolve. The tribunal’s decision is legally binding. 
2. The County Court is where eviction cases and larger claims end up. This is more formal, potentially expensive (especially if you need a solicitor), and slower. But for serious issues like illegal eviction, significant property damage, and major rent arrears. 

For most day-to-day complaints, try the Ombudsman first. For complex legal issues or large sums, you might need a court. 

If you’re weighing up your options and want a second opinion before you commit to a route, get in touch with our team.

PRS Ombudsman Scheme

From 2028, private landlords are expected to join an approved Private Rented Sector (PRS) Ombudsman scheme. The scheme will give tenants a way to raise complaints about their landlords and resolve disputes without going to court.

If they have any complaints and both landlords and tenants can’t sort it out between themselves, they can take it to the Ombudsman. Landlords will pay an annual membership fee while tenants will use it for free.

PRS Ombudsman: How To Do A Complaint 

Tenants first raise the issue directly with the landlord or letting agent, and if it isn’t sorted out within a reasonable time, they can escalate it to the Ombudsman for a formal review. 

Since joining a scheme is a legal requirement for all private landlords in England from 2028, eligibility is automatic for most tenants, including those renting through a letting agent. Once a complaint is accepted, the Ombudsman investigates both sides of the story and can order the landlord to apologise, carry out repairs, or pay compensation, and landlords must comply with the outcome. You can read the official guidance on GOV.UK for a full breakdown of how the scheme works.

Essential Evidence and Documentation for Landlord-Tenant Disputes UK

Important evidence and documents which are required are given below:

1. You should have a tenancy agreement copy.
2. Rent payment records, such as bank statements or a recipient copy to prove payments or arrears.
3. Also, take copies of the notices, such as Section 21 or Section 8, with proof of service.
4. Written communication (emails, texts, letters) between the tenant and landlord about the issue.
5. Visual and professional evidence showing the condition of the property during the dispute.
6. Testimonies from others who can confirm what happened between the tenant and landlord.
7. Inventory check-in and check-out reports to show the property’s condition at the start and end of the tenancy.
8. Tenancy deposit scheme records, including evidence of how the deposit was protected and any proposed deductions.

Keeping all of this organised and managing a property can be a hassle when you’re in the middle of a dispute. Get in touch with our property management team and enjoy consistent rental income without the stress of managing tenants and property.

Expected Costs, Resolution Times, and Outcomes for Landlord-Tenant Disputes

Here is a table, given below, in which cost, resolution time and outcomes for disputes are explained.

Tips for Preventing Landlord-Tenant Issues

There is a clear list of tips by following which stakeholders can prevent landlord-tenant disputes:

For Landlords

• Clearly outline tenancy terms in the agreement.
• Keep the property in good repair and respond promptly to maintenance requests.
• Communicate regularly and respectfully with tenants.
• Conduct check-ins and inspections as per the tenancy agreement.
• Protect deposits in a government-approved tenancy deposit scheme.

For Tenants

• Report repairs or issues promptly to the landlord.
• Follow the terms of the tenancy agreement carefully.
• Keep records of all communications with the landlord.
• Respect neighbours and the property to avoid complaints about behaviour or noise.
• Pay rent on time and keep payment records.

Conclusion

Landlord-tenant disputes occur mainly due to not paying rent, repair, deposits, antisocial behaviour or eviction of tenants. These issues are then solved in different ways depending on the severity of these problems. Sometimes resolved by the formal communication between them, mediation or a tribunal court. 
The best approach? Sort problems out early before they escalate. Talk to each other like adults, put things in writing, and use mediation or the Ombudsman if you’re stuck. Courts should be the last resort, not the first.

Frequently Asked Questions