How to Increase the Rent Under the Renters' Rights Act — The Section 13 Process

By RentVault Team · Published 2026-07-20 · 5 min read

Since 1 May 2026, the way landlords increase rent has changed fundamentally.

Since 1 May 2026, the way landlords increase rent has changed fundamentally. Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, there is now one mechanism for increasing rent on an assured periodic tenancy: the statutory Section 13 process. Contractual rent review clauses are void. The informal arrangement of agreeing a new rent with your tenant and signing an addendum is no longer the right approach for most tenancies.

This guide explains the Section 13 process step by step, including what notice you need to give, what form to use, what happens if your tenant challenges the increase, and what you absolutely cannot do.

Why this changed on 1 May 2026

Before the Renters' Rights Act, most landlords could increase rent in a number of ways: by including a rent review clause in the tenancy agreement, by serving a Section 13 notice, or by agreeing a new rent in writing with the tenant.

Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, the rules are now mandatory for all assured periodic tenancies. Tenancy agreements cannot contain rent review clauses that allow landlords to increase rent — any such clause is void. Rent can only be increased once in any 12-month period. And the only way to impose a rent increase on a tenant who does not agree is through the Section 13 statutory notice process.

The Section 13 notice: the basics

A Section 13 notice is a formal written notice served on your tenant informing them that you propose to increase their rent from a specified date.

The form. You must use Form 4A — the prescribed form for Section 13 notices under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. Using a letter or an email is not sufficient. Form 4A is available from GOV.UK. It must be completed correctly, including the current rent, the proposed new rent, the date the increase is to take effect, and the date by which the tenant must respond if they want to challenge it.

The notice period. You must give your tenant a minimum of two months' notice of the proposed increase. The date the increase takes effect must be at least two months after the date the notice is served.

The frequency. You can only increase the rent once in any 12-month period. If you increased the rent in November 2025, you cannot increase it again until November 2026 at the earliest. The new rent must also take effect on the first day of a period of the tenancy.

The amount. The proposed new rent must reflect the market rent for the property. The Section 13 process does not allow landlords to set rent at whatever they like — if the proposed increase is above market rate and the tenant challenges it at the First-tier Tribunal, the Tribunal will set the rent at market rate.

Serving the notice

The Section 13 notice must be served on all named tenants. If there are joint tenants, each named tenant must receive the notice.

Service can be by hand, by post, or electronically — but for electronic service to be valid, you must have agreed with the tenant in writing that electronic service is acceptable. The safest approach is hand delivery with a written confirmation or first class post.

Keep a copy of the notice and evidence of when and how it was served. If the tenant later challenges the date of service, you need to be able to demonstrate when the notice was received.

If the tenant agrees

If your tenant accepts the proposed new rent and does not challenge it before the Tribunal, the new rent takes effect on the date specified in the notice. No further action is needed. It is good practice to confirm the new rent in writing to the tenant once the notice period has expired without challenge.

If the tenant challenges the increase

A tenant who considers the proposed rent to be above market rate can apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) to have the rent determined. They must make this application before the date the proposed new rent is due to take effect.

If the tenant makes a Tribunal application, the rent increase is paused pending the Tribunal's decision. The Tribunal will assess what the open market rent for the property would be and set the rent at that level — which may be higher than the current rent, the same as the current rent, or lower than what you proposed.

Landlords who receive a Tribunal application should take it seriously. The Tribunal is not a formality. If your proposed increase was above market rate, the Tribunal will set a lower figure. Prepare comparables — evidence of what similar properties in the area let for — before attending.

What you cannot do

You cannot use a contractual rent review clause. Any clause in your tenancy agreement that purports to increase rent automatically or allow the landlord to increase rent outside the Section 13 process is void. If your existing tenancy agreement contains such a clause, it has no effect.

You cannot increase rent more than once in 12 months. Even if the tenant agrees, a second increase within 12 months of the last one is not lawful.

You cannot apply a bidding war surcharge. Landlords are prohibited from soliciting or accepting offers above the advertised rent. The prohibition extends to post-tenancy rent increases above market rate on the basis that the tenant needs to stay.

You cannot simply tell the tenant their rent is going up. An informal notification is not a Section 13 notice. If you want to enforce a rent increase against a tenant who disagrees, you need to have followed the Section 13 process correctly. An increase implemented without a valid Section 13 notice is potentially void, and the tenant may be able to recover any overpaid rent.

What if the tenant has voluntarily agreed to a new rent

If you and your tenant genuinely agree a rent increase between you — the tenant is happy with the new figure and wants to formalise it — you can record the agreed new rent in writing without going through the formal Section 13 process. Both parties must sign the agreement. It must not be dressed up as a Section 13 notice if it is not one.

However, the agreed increase is still subject to the once-per-12-months rule. You cannot agree a voluntary increase outside the annual frequency limit.