[2025] UKUT 161 (LC)

In this case the First-tier Tribunal, Property Chamber (the FTT) made rent repayment orders in favour of the five respondents requiring their former landlord, Mr Gorgievski, to repay to them rent totalling £33,668 which they had paid to him while they were tenants of his unlicensed HMO in West London.

The first issue in the appeal is whether the application submitted to the FTT on behalf of the respondents was made a day late, so that the FTT did not have jurisdiction to make any rent repayment order. The other substantial issue is whether in its decision of 3 September 2024 the FTT dealt sufficiently with the defence of reasonable excuse relied on by the appellant. There are other issues but they will only arise if the appeal fails on the two main issues I have identified.

At the hearing of the appeal the appellant was represented by Howard Lederman and the respondents byPeter Eliot of the advocacy organisation, Justice for Tenants. Neither of them had appeared before the FTT and I am grateful to them for their assistance.