Raising rent used to be as simple as a clause in the tenancy agreement kicking in once a year. Since 1 May 2026, that route no longer exists at all, and this guide covers the single process that replaced it: Form 4A under Section 13, the notice periods and timing rules that govern it, and a genuinely important change to how tribunal challenges now work.
Figures below reflect the Renters' Rights Act 2025, Section 13 of the Housing Act 1988 as amended, and published 2026 UK landlord compliance guidance, current to mid-2026. This is general information, not legal advice; a solicitor or letting agent should review your specific notice before serving it.
1. Rent review clauses stopped working overnight
Until 30 April 2026, most landlords in England increased rent the way tenancy agreements had specified for decades: a clause kicked in once a year, the rent rose by CPI, RPI, a fixed percentage, or some other formula, and that was that. Since 1 May 2026, Section 6 of the Renters' Rights Act 2025 voids every contractual rent review clause in a private assured tenancy, on both existing and new tenancies, with no gradual phase-out. If your tenancy agreements still rely on one of these clauses, it simply no longer has any legal effect, regardless of what the paperwork says.
2. The only lawful route: Section 13 and Form 4A
The single lawful way to increase rent on a periodic assured tenancy in England is now the Section 13 procedure, using the prescribed Form 4A. This applies even where a tenant has already verbally agreed to a higher figure in conversation or by message, an informal agreement doesn't substitute for serving the correct notice. Any other method, a letter, an email, an addendum to the agreement, is invalid and won't produce a legally enforceable rent increase.
3. The timing rules
- At least two calendar months' notice must be given before the proposed effective date.
- Once every 12 months only, and no increase is permitted during a tenancy's first year.
- The new rent must take effect at the start of a rental period, generally the same day of the month the tenancy started, not an arbitrary date.
- Serve in good time. If you want an increase to take effect on the 2nd of a given month, the notice generally needs serving by the 1st of the month two months prior, and if posting rather than hand-delivering, building in extra time for deemed service is worth doing.
4. The tribunal challenge, and what changed
A tenant can refer a Section 13 notice to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) if they believe the proposed rent is above market rate, currently for a modest fee. This is genuinely worth knowing as a landlord: under the current rules, the tribunal can only confirm your proposed rent or reduce it, it can never set a rent higher than what you originally proposed. This is a meaningful change from the previous rules, where a tribunal could in theory raise a contested rent above the landlord's own figure. There's also no backdating any more: if a tenant challenges the notice, the rent is frozen at the old figure until the tribunal reaches a decision, and any confirmed increase only takes effect from the date of that decision, not backdated to the original proposed date. In practice, this means proposing a genuinely defensible, market-evidenced rent carries little realistic downside, since the worst outcome is simply a delay and a reduction to a fair figure, not a penalty.
5. Pricing the increase defensibly
Because a challenge now turns on what the property could reasonably achieve on the open market, keeping a genuine evidence file, comparable local rents, recent lettings of similar properties nearby, is worth doing before you serve a notice, not scrambling for it afterwards if a tenant refers it to tribunal. Our UK Rental Growth Dashboard is a useful starting point for the wider regional trend behind your specific local market.
6. Common mistakes that invalidate a notice
- Relying on an old rent review clause that's simply no longer legally effective, regardless of what the original tenancy agreement says.
- Accepting a verbal or messaged agreement from the tenant instead of serving Form 4A properly.
- Giving less than two months' notice, or setting an effective date that doesn't align with the start of a rental period.
- Trying to increase rent within a tenancy's first 12 months, which isn't permitted regardless of the notice given.
- Proposing a figure with no genuine market evidence behind it, which weakens your position considerably if the tenant does refer the notice to tribunal.
7. Frequently asked questions
Can I still use a rent review clause in my tenancy agreement to increase rent?
No. Since 1 May 2026, Section 6 of the Renters' Rights Act 2025 voids every contractual rent review clause in a private assured tenancy, whether it's CPI-linked, RPI-linked, a fixed percentage, or any other formula, and this applies to both existing and new tenancies. The only lawful way to increase rent is the Section 13 procedure using Form 4A.
How much notice do I need to give to increase rent in 2026?
At least two calendar months' notice, served using Form 4A. The new rent must take effect at the start of a rental period, and you can only increase the rent once every 12 months, with no increase permitted during a tenancy's first year.
Can the tribunal set my tenant's rent higher than what I proposed?
No, and this is a genuine change from the old rules. If a tenant challenges a Section 13 increase at the First-tier Tribunal, the tribunal can now only confirm your proposed rent or reduce it, it can never set a rent higher than what you asked for. There's no realistic downside to proposing a genuinely defensible, evidence-backed market rent.
Does the new rent get backdated if a tenant challenges it and loses?
No. Under the current rules, if a tenant refers a Section 13 notice to the tribunal, the rent is frozen at the old figure until the tribunal decides, and any confirmed increase takes effect from the date of the tribunal's decision, not backdated to the original proposed date. This is different from the pre-May-2026 rules, where a confirmed increase was backdated.
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