How often can my landlord increase my rent?

Under section 13 of the Housing Act 1988, a proposed new rent cannot take effect until at least 52 weeks after the last increase under a section 13 notice or a section 14 tribunal determination took effect (53 weeks in some cases where the landlord has raised the rent at the earliest opportunity for several years running). This 52/53-week gap predates the Renters' Rights Act 2025 and applies to notices served before and on or after 1 May 2026 alike. An increase agreed informally or made under a rent-review clause does not start that statutory clock - though where a clause increase took effect before 1 May 2026, a notice served on or after that date still cannot propose a new rent taking effect within 52 weeks of it. What the Act otherwise changed is the notice period (now a flat 2 months) and the prescribed form (Form 4A), and from 1 May 2026 any clause in a tenancy agreement that purports to allow more frequent increases is void.

Does my landlord have to use a specific form to increase rent?

Yes. For an ordinary notice served before 1 May 2026 the prescribed form was Form 4; for one served on or after that date it is Form 4A. A document substantially to the like effect may qualify if it contains the required information. A saved possession notice or claim may preserve older rules for a particular tenancy. A bare message announcing a higher rent is not enough to establish a valid Section 13 notice.

How much notice must my landlord give before a rent increase?

For an ordinary notice served on or after 1 May 2026, the minimum is 2 months, regardless of the rent period. A saved pre-reform possession route may keep older tenancy rules in force. For a notice served before that date, the old minimum depends on the rent period: one month for monthly, one quarter for quarterly, and six months for yearly tenancies. Check the service date and any saved claim before applying either rule.

Can I challenge a rent increase?

Yes. Apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) before the start date in the Section 13 notice. For a notice served on or after 1 May 2026, section 14ZB caps the determination at the landlord's proposed figure and prevents the new rent taking effect before the determination. A saved pre-1 May 2026 notice follows the former section 14 rules, under which the tribunal could determine a higher figure and an earlier effective date. GOV.UK currently lists a £47 application fee, subject to Help with Fees, and says no fee is payable where the landlord's notice is dated before 1 May 2026. Check the date printed on the notice and the current fee when applying.

What happens if I just ignore a rent increase notice?

If a Section 13 notice is valid under the rules applicable to the tenancy, the new rent normally takes effect on its stated date unless you refer it to the Tribunal before then. Missing the challenge date can create arrears if the new rent is not paid. Do not assume a notice is invalid from its heading alone; check its content, service, any saved pre-reform claim, and the applicable timing rules.

My landlord put a rent review clause in the tenancy agreement. Does that override section 13?

For periodic assured shorthold tenancies, a rent review clause in the tenancy agreement can only take effect if both parties agree to it voluntarily. The landlord cannot use a contractual clause to bypass the section 13 procedure or to increase rent more frequently than the statutory minimum gap allows. From 1 May 2026, any clause purporting to allow this - whether labelled a 'rent review', index-linked, stepped, or a fixed annual uplift - is of no effect, though an increase that already took effect under such a clause before that date remains valid.

Can my landlord increase rent in retaliation for me complaining about repairs?

The First-tier Tribunal's rent role is to decide whether the section 13 notice is legally valid and to determine the open-market rent; retaliatory motive does not by itself change that valuation test. Keep the complaint and increase notice in date order because the conduct may still matter to a separate repair, harassment, discrimination, or possession dispute, and challenge the increase before the deadline if it exceeds market rent or the notice is invalid.

Rent increase rules in England: what landlords must do and what you can challenge

Published and maintained by the Get Renters Rights teamUpdated 29 September 2026Rules last reviewed 29 September 2026How we build these checkers

Direct answer

For an ordinary private assured tenancy, a landlord usually needs a valid section 13 notice and the applicable 52/53-week gap. The form and notice period depend on service date and any saved pre-reform possession route. Limited lower-rent agreements after a notice or tribunal decision need individual review. A qualifying notice can be challenged at the First-tier Tribunal before its proposed start date.

A bare rent-demand letter or message is not enough to establish a valid section 13 notice. The applicable prescribed form, or a document substantially to the like effect, must contain the required information and give the correct notice period. A saved pre-reform possession route may preserve older rules for the tenancy.

If you believe the proposed increase exceeds open-market rent, seek advice about applying to the First-tier Tribunal before the applicable start date. Under the ordinary post-reform route, the determination cannot exceed the landlord's proposal. A saved earlier possession route or pre-reform notice may follow former rules and carry a higher-rent risk. GOV.UK currently lists a £47 application fee, subject to Help with Fees, and says no fee is payable where the landlord's notice is dated before 1 May 2026. Check the date printed on the notice and the current fee when applying.

Free checkers

Rent increase checker
Check whether a rent increase notice used the correct form, period, and 52-week gap.
Renters' Rights Act guide
Full overview of all reforms including the 52-week rent increase limit.

Sources used for this guide

These are primary legislation and public guidance sources that support the legal-information framework used on this page.

Housing Act 1988
Primary statute for assured tenancies, Section 8 possession notices, Schedule 2 grounds, and legacy Section 21 rules.
Renters' Rights Act 2025
Primary reform statute referenced by these guides for the 2026 private rented sector changes in England.
GOV.UK: assured periodic tenancy rent increases
Current government guidance for tenants on Form 4A, section 13 rent increases, and First-tier Tribunal challenges.
Citizens Advice: housing
Independent advice guidance for private renters, including deposits, rent increases, repairs, eviction, and landlord disputes.

Section 21 abolished: what happens now?
The transition guide for pre-cutoff notices, the 1 May 2026 changeover, and when possession analysis switches to Section 8.
Tenant rights in England: complete guide
The main overview page linking eviction, repairs, deposit protection, rent increases, and illegal eviction rights together.
Old rules vs new rules after May 2026
The side-by-side transition guide for Section 21, Section 8, rent increases, and periodic tenancies after 1 May 2026.
Renters' Rights Act 2026: complete guide
The main reform guide covering Section 21 abolition, Section 8, rent increases, pets, and private rented sector enforcement changes.
Section 13 Form 4A: rent increase guide for tenants
Section 13 Form 4A explained for tenants in England: when landlords use it, notice period, once-per-year rule, tribunal challenge, and evidence.

Common questions

How often can my landlord increase my rent?: Under section 13 of the Housing Act 1988, a proposed new rent cannot take effect until at least 52 weeks after the last increase under a section 13 notice or a section 14 tribunal determination took effect (53 weeks in some cases where the landlord has raised the rent at the earliest opportunity for several years running). This 52/53-week gap predates the Renters' Rights Act 2025 and applies to notices served before and on or after 1 May 2026 alike. An increase agreed informally or made under a rent-review clause does not start that statutory clock - though where a clause increase took effect before 1 May 2026, a notice served on or after that date still cannot propose a new rent taking effect within 52 weeks of it. What the Act otherwise changed is the notice period (now a flat 2 months) and the prescribed form (Form 4A), and from 1 May 2026 any clause in a tenancy agreement that purports to allow more frequent increases is void.
Does my landlord have to use a specific form to increase rent?: Yes. For an ordinary notice served before 1 May 2026 the prescribed form was Form 4; for one served on or after that date it is Form 4A. A document substantially to the like effect may qualify if it contains the required information. A saved possession notice or claim may preserve older rules for a particular tenancy. A bare message announcing a higher rent is not enough to establish a valid Section 13 notice.
How much notice must my landlord give before a rent increase?: For an ordinary notice served on or after 1 May 2026, the minimum is 2 months, regardless of the rent period. A saved pre-reform possession route may keep older tenancy rules in force. For a notice served before that date, the old minimum depends on the rent period: one month for monthly, one quarter for quarterly, and six months for yearly tenancies. Check the service date and any saved claim before applying either rule.
Can I challenge a rent increase?: Yes. Apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) before the start date in the Section 13 notice. For a notice served on or after 1 May 2026, section 14ZB caps the determination at the landlord's proposed figure and prevents the new rent taking effect before the determination. A saved pre-1 May 2026 notice follows the former section 14 rules, under which the tribunal could determine a higher figure and an earlier effective date. GOV.UK currently lists a £47 application fee, subject to Help with Fees, and says no fee is payable where the landlord's notice is dated before 1 May 2026. Check the date printed on the notice and the current fee when applying.
What happens if I just ignore a rent increase notice?: If a Section 13 notice is valid under the rules applicable to the tenancy, the new rent normally takes effect on its stated date unless you refer it to the Tribunal before then. Missing the challenge date can create arrears if the new rent is not paid. Do not assume a notice is invalid from its heading alone; check its content, service, any saved pre-reform claim, and the applicable timing rules.
My landlord put a rent review clause in the tenancy agreement. Does that override section 13?: For periodic assured shorthold tenancies, a rent review clause in the tenancy agreement can only take effect if both parties agree to it voluntarily. The landlord cannot use a contractual clause to bypass the section 13 procedure or to increase rent more frequently than the statutory minimum gap allows. From 1 May 2026, any clause purporting to allow this - whether labelled a 'rent review', index-linked, stepped, or a fixed annual uplift - is of no effect, though an increase that already took effect under such a clause before that date remains valid.
Can my landlord increase rent in retaliation for me complaining about repairs?: The First-tier Tribunal's rent role is to decide whether the section 13 notice is legally valid and to determine the open-market rent; retaliatory motive does not by itself change that valuation test. Keep the complaint and increase notice in date order because the conduct may still matter to a separate repair, harassment, discrimination, or possession dispute, and challenge the increase before the deadline if it exceeds market rent or the notice is invalid.

Use the interactive checker on getrentersrights.com for the full step-by-step result.

Rent increase rules in England: what landlords must do and what you can challenge

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