Is my rent too high?
Find out in about a minute. We compare your rent with the local market range for similar properties in your area, using ONS rent statistics. Free, no signup, no card.
How to tell if your rent is too high
“Too high” is a slippery word for renters. Your gut says yes; your landlord says everyone's paying it; your neighbour shrugs. The test that matters in England is the one the First-tier Tribunal applies: open-market rent — what a similar property in the same area would let for today.
That comparison has three reference points:
- Lower quartile — 25% of comparable lets are at this price or lower. If your rent is here, you're on the cheap side of the band.
- Median — the middle of the band. Half the market is below, half above.
- Upper quartile — 75% of comparable lets are at this price or lower. If your rent is here or higher, you're on the expensive side.
Sitting above the upper quartile is a strong signal that your rent is above the local market — worth gathering evidence on, though only a tribunal can decide the open-market rent for your home. Sitting around the median is normal. Sitting below the lower quartile means you're getting a relatively good deal — worth knowing before any rent conversation.
ONS publishes these quartiles for London postcode districts. Elsewhere it publishes an average for each local authority, so our checker draws an indicative band around that average and marks the result lower confidence.
What to do if it's above market
The playbook depends on where you are in the cycle:
You've just received a Section 13 notice: you must apply to the First-tier Tribunal (form MR1) before the new-rent date. Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025 the tribunal can only confirm or lower the proposed rent, so it can't end up higher than the notice — but there's a £47 fee for notices dated from 1 May 2026 (Help with Fees can reduce it), the outcome isn't guaranteed, and you keep paying your current rent meanwhile. Our tribunal application walkthrough covers it step by step.
Mid-tenancy, no formal notice: write a polite rent reduction request backed by your comparable evidence (your landlord doesn't have to agree). An informal request from your landlord for more rent doesn't change your rent on its own, either. We have a free template you can copy.
Expecting an increase: the strongest negotiating position is one where you know what the local market supports before a Section 13 notice arrives. See our negotiation guide.
Common questions
How do I know if my rent is too high?
The standard test in England is 'open-market rent' — what a similar property in the same area would let for today. Compare your figure with the local range for homes like yours. If you're above the top of that range, your rent is likely above the local market — a good reason to gather evidence, though only a tribunal can decide the open-market rent for your home.
What counts as 'too high' for a rent in England?
There's no statutory cap, but the practical ceiling is the local market. As an illustration: if similar properties in your area typically let for £1,400-£1,700 and you're paying £1,950, you're above the band — the kind of gap that's worth raising with your landlord, or with the First-tier Tribunal if you receive a Section 13 increase.
Is there a rent too high calculator for the UK?
RentCharter is one, for homes in England (Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have different rules). Enter your postcode, property type and bedroom count, and you'll get a comparison with the local market range from ONS statistics, a confidence rating, and the sample size where ONS publishes one.
What if my rent is too high — can I do anything about it?
If your landlord has just served a Section 13 rent increase that pushes you above market, you can apply to the First-tier Tribunal (form MR1; £47 fee for notices dated from 1 May 2026, which Help with Fees can reduce) before the new-rent date. Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025 the tribunal can only confirm or lower the proposed rent — never raise it. If there's no increase on the table but your rent has drifted above market, you can send a written rent reduction request backed by comparable evidence; your landlord doesn't have to agree. Either way, keep paying your rent.
Is the rent check tool actually free?
Yes — the rent comparison itself is free with no signup. The optional evidence pack is £9.99, or free if you upload your tenancy agreement or your council covers your area.
See also: what counts as a fair rent increase · how much a landlord can increase rent in 2026 · Section 13 checker · fair rent calculator.
Next steps if your rent is too high
A one-page letter you can adapt and send today, with the lines that actually land.
Read moreNo solicitor needed — and under the RRA 2025 the tribunal can only confirm or lower the rent, never raise it.
Read moreNegotiating with evidence is often the quickest route. Here's the playbook.
Read more