Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of extending courts and tribunal fees to challenging Section 13 rent increases through the First-Tier Tribunal on the number of rent increase challenges.

The Ministry of Justice keeps all fees under continuous review to ensure that His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) has the resources necessary to operate fairly and efficiently, while ensuring access to justice is protected for all.

The Government has laid legislation to begin the process of implementing a new fees framework in the Property Chamber. The purpose of the new framework is to deliver a fair and sustainable Property Chamber that is accessible to all. The framework includes a fee of £47 for applications to appeal a rent increase, with no hearing fee – this is one of the lowest fees across HMCTS.

The Help with Fees scheme will always be available to provide financial support to those who cannot afford to pay fees. In 2024/25, we remitted £91 million of fees income to protect access to justice.

The changes are subject to Parliamentary consent.