Brand new tenant has just informed me that they will be taking the rent they had just agreed on to tribunal. Is this actually a thing?
Inherited my parents' house back in January. Renovated it for 3 months to bring it up to standard and put it up for rent on Next Door (It's an app where you can share local community news and stuff.)
I asked for £1350 for a 4 bed (one of the bedrooms is tiny)
Within minutes I was bombarded with offeres. People were clammouring over each other in the comments section and I started getting DMs galore. I started receiving offers for £1700, £1900. £2000 etc.
After a week I settled on a family who had offered £1800 and provided evidence of right to work, as well as references from a former landlord, and payslips from current employer.
They've been living in the property for 2 weeks and I have just received a (in all fairness, very polite) email that they will be taking their rent to tribunal. They're asking for it to be reduced to £1500 to avoid tribunal.
We do have a contract for £1800 per month.
Can I just check if this is actually something which happens in the UK?
Do Tribunals set rents irrespective of private contracts and market rates?