Inside LetCompliance
Section 13 rent increase notice tool, UK 2026
Raise rent properly, once a year, tribunal-ready.
Since 1 May 2026, Section 13 is the only way to increase rent on an assured periodic tenancy, and only once per 12 months with 2 months' notice. Get any part wrong and the increase simply does not take effect, costing you months while you re-serve.
12-month cooldown
Blocks you from serving a second Section 13 within 12 months, the most common reason increases get thrown out.
Market-rent evidence pack
Pulls comparable rents from Rightmove and OpenRent for your area, so the tribunal sees you weren't being arbitrary.
Form 4A generator
Drafts the notice to match the current GOV.UK Form 4A with all dates and calculations correct.
What it does
- Validates 12-month cooldown from previous rent review
- Calculates earliest-possible effective date (2 months + next rent day)
- Generates a Section 13 draft matching GOV.UK Form 4A, ready to serve
- Attaches comparable-rent evidence pack
- Logs service proof per tenant
- Reminds you 14 months after the last increase so you never miss the next window
Who it's for
Every landlord letting an assured tenancy in England who wants to increase rent legally and defensibly after RRA 2025.
The legal basis
Section 13 Housing Act 1988 as amended by the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. The prescribed notice is Form 4A, published on GOV.UK (it replaced the pre-reform Form 4). Since 1 May 2026 rent-review clauses in assured periodic tenancy agreements cannot be relied on at all, and no increase may take effect during the tenancy’s first 12 months.
Guidance only, not legal advice. Always verify with your solicitor for contested matters.
FAQs
Can I still use a rent-review clause in my tenancy agreement?
No. Since 1 May 2026 rent-review clauses in an assured periodic tenancy cannot be relied on to raise the rent, and the fact that one is still printed in your agreement does not make it usable. Section 13 is the only lawful route, and no increase may take effect in the tenancy’s first 12 months.
What if the tenant challenges the increase?
They can refer the notice to the First-tier Tribunal at any time before the new rent takes effect. The tribunal decides the open market rent but cannot set it higher than the figure you proposed, so a referral caps your downside rather than raising it. It also cannot backdate the increase: the rent it determines applies from the date in its decision. Our evidence pack helps you defend the figure with comparable local lets.
Can I negotiate informally?
Yes, a mutually signed rent variation is always fine. Section 13 is for unilateral increases.
📄 Free: Section 13 Form 4A Filled Example (2026)
A complete, lawfully-filled Form 4A example for a 2026 Section 13 rent increase under the Renters’ Rights Act. Copy the structure, swap the values.
- Exact field-by-field example (current rent, new rent, effective date)
- Two-month notice arithmetic worked through
- 12-month gap rule + first-12-months freeze checked
- Tribunal-cap explainer attached for tenant questions
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