Can I still use a rent review clause instead of Section 13?

No. The Renters' Rights Act removed contractual rent review for assured tenancies in England — any such clause is unenforceable. A Section 13 notice on the prescribed form is the only route.

How much notice does a Section 13 rent increase need?

At least two months, and the new rent can only take effect from the first day of a rent period. Increases are limited to once in any 12 months.

Can the tribunal set a higher rent than I asked for?

No. Under the post-2026 rules the First-tier Tribunal cannot determine a rent above the figure in the landlord's notice, and the determined rent applies from the tribunal's decision rather than being backdated.

Reviewed for the Renters' Rights Act · Updated 20 July 2026

Section 13 rent increase: the only way to raise rent in 2026

Since the Renters' Rights Act came into force on 1 May 2026, a Section 13 notice is the only way a landlord in England can increase the rent on an assured periodic tenancy. Rent review clauses in tenancy agreements are void, and informal "agreements" to raise the rent carry no weight. Here is the process, step by step.

The rules at a glance

Prescribed form only. You must use the official form (Form 4A) – a letter or email proposing a new rent is not a valid notice.
Once in any 12 months. You cannot serve a second increase within a year of the last one taking effect.
At least two months' notice. The new rent can take effect no earlier than two months after service, and only from the start of a rent period.
The tenant can challenge it. Before the effective date, the tenant may refer the notice to the First-tier Tribunal, which decides what the open-market rent should be.

Need the form itself? See our dedicated Form 4A completion guide.

Step by step

Check your timing. Twelve months since the last increase (or since the tenancy began), and pick a start date that is the first day of a rent period at least two months out.
Complete the prescribed form. Download the current version from gov.uk – using an out-of-date form is one of the most common ways notices fail.
Serve it properly. Follow the service provisions in your tenancy agreement; keep proof of posting or delivery.
Wait out the notice period. If the tenant does nothing, the new rent applies automatically from the date in the notice.
If the tenant refers it to the tribunal, the tribunal determines the rent. Under the post-2026 rules it cannot set a rent higher than the figure in your notice, and the determined rent applies from the tribunal's decision (it is not backdated to your notice date; in cases of hardship the tribunal can defer it further).

What invalidates a Section 13 notice: wrong form or old version, less than two months' notice, an effective date that is not the start of a rent period, a second increase inside 12 months, or serving it when the tenancy agreement has no valid rent figure to increase from. An invalid notice means starting again – and losing months of the higher rent.

Why your tenancy agreement matters here

A Section 13 notice increases the rent under the tenancy – so the tenancy agreement needs to state the rent, the rent period and the payment day clearly. Agreements with contradictory rent clauses or leftover rent-review mechanisms create exactly the ambiguity tenants' advisers look for at the tribunal. A clean post-RRA agreement makes the increase straightforward.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I still use a rent review clause instead?

No. The Renters' Rights Act removed contractual rent review for assured tenancies – any such clause is unenforceable, whatever the agreement says.

How much can I increase the rent by?

There is no fixed cap, but the increase must be defensible as open-market rent – if challenged, the tribunal will look at what similar properties let for. Asking for more than the market supports simply invites a referral.

Does Section 13 apply in Wales or Scotland?

No – this process is for assured periodic tenancies in England. Wales uses occupation contracts with their own variation rules, and Scotland has the private residential tenancy regime.