Rent Repayment Orders
A Rent Repayment Order (RRO) is a financial penalty. It can be imposed upon a landlord who manages or lets a property which is not licensed.
An application may be made to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) for an order if the landlord has been convicted of the offence of operating a licensed property without a licence or the local authority is satisfied the offence has been committed (even though the landlord has not been prosecuted for offence). Read information about rent repayment orders from GOV.UK.
The First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) may make an order if it is satisfied that the landlord has been convicted of the offence or that he has committed it.
The local authority may apply for an order where housing benefit has been paid to that landlord during any period when such an offence was being committed. Different rules apply to decisions in respect of those applications depending on whether the landlord has been convicted of the offence.
Occupiers (including former occupiers) are permitted to make an application to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) for a repayment order. This applies where an order has already been granted to a local authority, for the same property or if the landlord has been convicted of the offence. Any order made in favour of an occupier cannot relate to any sums paid by means of Housing Benefit. Any sum ordered to be paid is recoverable as an ordinary civil debt.