Group cases
UNITE Group cases
Flat Justice is recognised as the country’s leading expert in Rent Repayment Order matters: we have brought more cases, won more appeals and created more case law in this field than any other lawyer.
Results so far
London
Students from 2020–21 have received 50% of their rent back. Read the judgment of the London Property Tribunal, made against Unite on 11 May 2023.
Students from 2021–22 were awarded 65% of their rent. Unite appealed on the basis of judicial consistency; that appeal succeeded and the order was reduced to 50% to match the previous award. View the Upper Tribunal appeal judgment.
Coventry
The Midlands tribunal judgment in the Queens Park House case has been issued. The Midlands tribunal is now considering further applications from 2022–23.
Liverpool
One vanguard case has already been decided in Liverpool — see our blog. That applicant has received his award and is now applying for the following year’s rent. Many more have applied with him.
Oxford
All these cases reached a settlement with Unite and every applicant has been paid (September 2024). No further applicants are being registered.
Current cases
Our ongoing cases against Unite Group plc for failing to license their properties.
Liverpool
Any student who lived in any accommodation, studio or shared flat, in these properties in the academic year 2022–23 was eligible to apply: Arrad House, Atlantic Point, Cambridge Court, Cedar House, Grand Central, Horizon Heights, Lennon Studios, Moorfield, Prospect Point and St Luke’s View.
The deadline for application has now passed. Flat Justice has submitted applications for students from all the Unite blocks in Liverpool. All our submitted applications are in time, with most already confirmed by Liverpool council as within the twelve-month deadline.
Coventry
The deadline to apply for a Rent Repayment Order at Queens Park House has passed. We cannot accept any further applications.
London
Students who stayed in Emily Bowes Court, North Lodge and Station Court in 2023–24 can register to get their rent back.
No applications can be made for 2022–23 or earlier. That deadline has passed.
Oxford
Dorset House (claim period 14 September to 9 December 2022) and Parade Green (claim period 21 October to 9 December 2022). Directions have been issued. The deadline to apply has passed, so no new applications can be made. The case is in the final stages of settlement.
Every block has its own deadline and they pass quickly. If your block is listed as closed but you think your own dates are different, ask us rather than assuming — a licensing offence does not end when the licence is granted, and the last day is often later than people expect.
Why you can trust Flat Justice
- Flat Justice has assisted hundreds of tenants to Get Rent Back in the five years since we started. See our Google reviews.
- You can check our past cases on the government tribunal decisions website.
- We have been involved in many of the important appeal cases on Rent Repayment Orders. See the Upper Tribunal decisions website.
- Our work has been funded by the Trust for London. Those grants are awarded only after careful due diligence by the funder.
- Flat Justice was founded by students, so we know the problems student accommodation can bring.
- We work with other tenants’ rights groups including Shelter and Generation Rent.
- We work in partnership with many councils in England, helping them enforce their licensing schemes — even Bristol, the home town of Unite.
- Flat Justice is a not-for-profit Community Interest Company: check our company listing.
Still sceptical? Give us a ring on the number on our contact page. Yes, you can talk to us — but preferably at reasonable hours, please.
Also worth reading
Every block we have acted in
The full table of blocks, the number of students who got their rent back, and links to the tribunal judgments.
See the table →Did my landlord commit an offence?
Purpose-built student blocks are not exempt from HMO licensing. What decides it, and how to check.
Find out →