Section 13 and Form 4: How to Increase Rent Under the New Rules

Under the Renters' Rights Act 2026, the landscape for rent increases has changed fundamentally. Fixed-term tenancies are gone — all tenancies are now periodic from the outset. With that change comes a single, prescribed route for increasing rent: the Section 13 procedure.

Why the Old Method No Longer Works

Previously, many landlords relied on a rent review clause written into a fixed-term tenancy agreement. That clause would allow rent to increase at a set point — say, annually — without any formal notice procedure. That approach is now obsolete. Fixed-term agreements no longer exist, which means rent review clauses have no legal foundation. If you try to increase rent without following Section 13, the increase will not be legally enforceable.

The Section 13 Process

Section 13 of the Housing Act 1988 (as amended) sets out the only lawful route for a landlord to propose a rent increase on a periodic tenancy. The process is straightforward, but it must be followed precisely:

1. Serve a Section 13 notice (Form 4) on the tenant proposing the new rent

2. Give at least 2 months' notice before the proposed increase takes effect

3. Wait for the effective date — if the tenant does not challenge the notice, the new rent takes effect on the date stated

Form 4: The Prescribed Form

Form 4 is the government's prescribed form for a Section 13 notice. You cannot use an informal letter, an email, or a homemade document — it must be Form 4. The form requires you to state:

- The current rent and how often it is paid

- The proposed new rent

- The date on which the new rent will take effect

Form 4 is available free of charge from GOV.UK. Download it, complete it carefully, and serve it on the tenant in accordance with the tenancy agreement's notice provisions (typically by post or hand delivery).

Frequency: Once Per 12 Months

The law permits only one rent increase per 12-month period. You cannot serve two Section 13 notices in quick succession to achieve a larger increase, and you cannot increase rent mid-way through a 12-month cycle. If you served a Section 13 notice six months ago, you must wait another six months before serving the next one.

The Tenant's Right to Challenge

Receiving a Section 13 notice does not mean the tenant must accept the proposed rent. The tenant has the right to refer the proposed increase to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) before the effective date stated on the notice.

The Tribunal's role is to assess whether the proposed rent is at or below the open market rent for the property. It will consider comparable properties in the area, the condition of the property, and any other relevant factors. If the Tribunal determines that the proposed rent is above market rate, it will set a lower figure — and that lower figure becomes the legally binding rent.

Importantly, the Tribunal cannot set a rent *higher* than what you proposed. So there is no risk of the process backfiring in that direction.

What Landlords Cannot Do

- Increase rent above market rate: the Tribunal will reduce it, and you will have wasted time and goodwill

- Use a rent review clause instead of Form 4: this is no longer a valid mechanism

- Increase rent more than once in any 12-month period: a second notice within 12 months will be invalid

- Serve informal notice: an email saying "rent is going up to £1,200 from next month" has no legal effect

Practical Tips

- Research comparable rents before serving notice: check Rightmove, Zoopla, and Rightmove's rental price tracker for similar properties in your area. If your proposed rent is clearly at market rate, a Tribunal challenge is unlikely to succeed — and tenants know this.

- Keep evidence of market rents: save screenshots of comparable listings at the time you serve notice. If the tenant does refer to the Tribunal, this evidence will support your case.

- Serve notice well in advance: the 2-month minimum is a floor, not a target. Serving 3 months in advance gives both parties more time to plan.

- Use the correct Form 4 from GOV.UK: do not use a third-party template unless you are certain it mirrors the prescribed form exactly.

- Diarise the 12-month cycle: note the effective date of each increase so you know when you are next eligible to serve notice.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

- Serving informal notice: an email or text message saying rent is going up is not a valid Section 13 notice and has no legal effect

- Not giving 2 months' notice: a notice that gives less than 2 months is invalid and the increase will not take effect on the stated date

- Trying to increase rent mid-tenancy without Form 4: even if the tenant verbally agrees, a rent increase without a valid Section 13 notice is not enforceable

- Serving a second notice within 12 months: the second notice will be invalid regardless of the proposed amount

The Bottom Line

Section 13 and Form 4 are not complicated — but they are mandatory. The process exists to give tenants clarity and a fair right of challenge. Landlords who follow it correctly will find it a perfectly workable mechanism for keeping rents in line with the market. Those who try to shortcut it will find their increases unenforceable.