Section 13 notices: the rent increase rules in England

By Sam Kane · Last checked 9 October 2026 · Covers England only

A section 13 notice is the only way your landlord can put up your rent. It is a formal notice on Form 4A, and your landlord can use it once a year at most. They must give you at least 2 months’ notice, and the new rent cannot be higher than the open market rent. If you think the rent increase is too high, you can ask a tribunal to decide, and the tribunal cannot set a rent higher than your landlord asked for.

These rules have applied to private tenancies in England since 1 May 2026.

The short version

• Once a year, at most. No rise at all in the first 12 months of a new tenancy.
• Only with Form 4A. Without this notice, you do not have to pay a higher rent.
• At least 2 months’ notice before the new rent starts.
• No higher than the open market rent, which means what similar homes nearby rent for.
• You can challenge it at the First-tier Tribunal. Apply before the new rent starts. It costs £47.
• The tribunal cannot raise the rent above what your landlord asked for.
• You cannot be evicted for challenging a rent increase.
• Rent review clauses no longer work. A clause in your agreement that sets a yearly rise does not count.

What is a section 13 notice?

It is the formal notice a landlord uses to propose a new rent. Section 13 is the part of the Housing Act 1988 that sets out this process. Since 1 May 2026, private landlords must use Form 4A for it, and any rise must follow the steps below.

Can my landlord increase the rent?

Yes, but only in one way. Since 1 May 2026, the section 13 process is the only way a private landlord can raise the rent on an existing tenancy. Section 13 is the part of the Housing Act 1988 that sets out this process.

Your landlord must:

1. Use Form 4A, the official “Landlord’s notice proposing a new rent”.
2. Give you at least 2 months’ notice before the new rent starts.
3. Wait at least 12 months from the start of your tenancy, or from your last rent rise, before the new rent starts.
4. Propose a rent that is no higher than the open market rent.

Your landlord can give you the notice in person or by post. They can send it by email only if your tenancy agreement allows that.

How much can a landlord increase rent?

There is no fixed percentage limit. The limit is the open market rent. That is the rent your landlord could expect to get if they let the same home today, on the same terms, to a new tenant.

To get a feel for the open market rent:

1. Look at adverts for similar homes nearby, with the same number of bedrooms and a similar condition.
2. Note what is different about your home, such as repairs that are needed, no garden, or an older kitchen and bathroom.

Our rent increase checker can help you think it through.

What if my landlord does not use Form 4A?

Then you do not have to pay the higher rent. A section 13 notice is the only way to raise it.

You and your landlord can talk about a new rent informally. But an informal agreement after 1 May 2026 does not change the rent in your tenancy on its own. Only a valid section 13 notice does that.

Do rent review clauses still count?

No. Many older tenancy agreements had a clause that raised the rent each year by a set amount or a percentage. Since 1 May 2026, these clauses no longer apply. Your landlord must use Form 4A instead. Read more in our guide to assured shorthold and assured periodic tenancies.

How do I challenge a rent increase?

If you think the new rent is higher than the open market rent, you can ask the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) to decide the rent. A tribunal is a type of court for specific disputes. It is less formal than a normal court.

1. Check the start date on your Form 4A. You must apply before this date. If you miss it, you lose the right to challenge.
2. Fill in form MR1, “Apply for a determination of an open market rent”. You can find it on GOV.UK.
3. Pay the fee. It costs £47. You may get help with the fee if you are on a low income.
4. Gather evidence, such as adverts for similar homes, photos of the condition of your home, and a list of repairs your landlord has not done.
5. Send the application to the tribunal.

The government plans to move these decisions to HMRC’s Valuation Office in future. No date is set. Until it does, you apply to the tribunal.

What does the tribunal decide?

The tribunal looks at what similar homes in your area rent for, and at what you and your landlord tell it. Then it sets the rent.

• It cannot set a rent higher than your landlord asked for. It can set the same amount or less.
• When the new rent starts. If the tribunal decides before the start date in the notice, the new rent starts on that date. If it decides after, the new rent usually starts on the next payment date after the decision.
• It can delay the rise if it would cause you undue hardship, by up to 2 months from its decision. The law does not define hardship, but Shelter suggests it may include serious health problems or a risk of homelessness.

Can I be evicted for challenging a rent increase?

No. You cannot be evicted for challenging a rent increase. Your landlord can only end your tenancy for a legal reason under section 8. Our section 8 guide lists those reasons.

What if I got a rent increase notice before 1 May 2026?

If your landlord gave you a section 13 notice on the old Form 4 before 1 May 2026, the rent and start date in that notice still stand. You can still challenge it at the tribunal, and there is no tribunal fee for a notice dated before 1 May 2026. Your landlord cannot raise the rent again until at least a year after that rise started.

If you agreed a rise informally before 1 May 2026, for example your landlord emailed you and you started paying the new amount, Shelter says your landlord could use a section 13 notice within a year of that rise.

What to do now

1. Check the notice. Is it on Form 4A? Does it give 2 months? Is it at least 12 months since your last rise?
2. Compare the rent with similar homes nearby.
3. Decide before the start date. You can pay the new rent, talk to your landlord, or apply to the tribunal.
4. Check what you can afford. Our guide on how much rent you can afford can help you plan.
5. Keep a record of what you pay. If the rent goes up, your bank statements show when the new amount started. Rent is often your biggest bill, and it can count on your credit file too.

For the wider picture, read our guide to the Renters’ Rights Act.

Common questions

How often can a landlord increase rent?

Once a year at most. Your landlord cannot raise the rent in the first 12 months of a new tenancy.

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

At least 2 months, on Form 4A.

Is there a limit on how much rent can go up?

There is no fixed percentage. The new rent cannot be higher than the open market rent for a similar home, and you can ask the tribunal to decide.

Do I have to pay a rent increase if there is no Form 4A?

No. Without a valid section 13 notice, your rent stays as it is in your tenancy.

How much does it cost to challenge a rent increase?

£47 to apply to the tribunal. You may get help with the fee if you are on a low income.

Can the tribunal put my rent up even more?

No. For notices given from 1 May 2026, the tribunal cannot set a rent higher than your landlord asked for.

Where to get free help

• Shelter: free advice on rent increases and the tribunal
• Citizens Advice: free advice on renting and money
• Your local council: the private housing team

Sources

• GOV.UK, Assured periodic tenancies: a guide for tenants, rent increases
• GOV.UK, Renters’ Rights Act: overview for tenants
• GOV.UK, Guide to the Renters’ Rights Act
• GOV.UK, Apply for an open market rent determination, updated 10 August 2026, read 9 October 2026
• GOV.UK, Stronger protections and greater confidence for renters, 9 September 2026, read 9 October 2026
• GOV.UK, Form 4A: Landlord’s notice proposing a new rent
• GOV.UK, Form MR1: Apply for a determination of an open market rent
• Shelter England, Ask a tribunal to set the rent, updated 14 May 2026
• Shelter England, Section 13 rent increase notices
• Shelter England, Rent increases: the rules and what’s changing

This guide is general information, not legal advice. If you are unsure about a rent increase, get advice about your own situation.