Laws about raising rent (UK)

What this check covers

In England, private renting rules for rent increases changed under the Renters' Rights Act. From 1 May 2026, private tenancies are assured periodic tenancies, and rent increases for those tenancies follow the statutory section 13 / Form 4A notice process rather than relying on old fixed-term / rent-review-clause patterns.

This page is about whether a landlord may propose a higher rent, what notice form is used, and how a tenant may ask the First-tier Tribunal to decide an open-market rent. It is informational only.

Key legal requirements

• Jurisdiction: this page covers England. Wales and Scotland have different private-rent increase frameworks — check the relevant GOV.UK or devolved guidance for those nations.
• GOV.UK open-market guidance: tenants get at least 2 months notice (or one month if the notice was given before 1 May 2026).
• Landlords increase rent through the section 13 process using the landlord notice proposing a new rent (Form 4A on GOV.UK), not through informal demands alone.
• Form 4A Note A3 (GOV.UK): “The first rent increase cannot start until 52 weeks have passed since the tenancy began.” (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/assured-tenancy-forms; PDF https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/69eb2022606c20d412163366/Form_4A.pdf). Official landlord guidance also states rent can be increased only once a year and you will not be able to increase the rent in the first year of the tenancy.
• Tenants must be given at least 2 months' notice before the proposed new rent starts.
• If a tenant thinks the proposed rent is above open-market rent, they can apply to the First-tier Tribunal before the proposed start date.
• GOV.UK guidance also explains transitional points for notices given before 1 May 2026 (older Form 4 wording may still run to its stated dates, while the once-a-year spacing still matters).

Why this matters

This page is informational and should be checked against current GOV.UK guidance.

Next step with VetroCheck

Use the Rent Increase Notice Check agent if you want a structured review of a Section 13 rent-increase notice, the stated notice period, and whether a First-tier Tribunal challenge path appears to be in play. This is an information-only document check, not formal legal advice.

Related reading

• Assured shorthold tenancy (AST) — legacy England tenancy type
• Regulated tenants in England and Wales

Sources

• Form 4A / assured tenancy forms (GOV.UK): https://www.gov.uk/guidance/assured-tenancy-forms
• Form 4A PDF (Note A3): https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/69eb2022606c20d412163366/Form_4A.pdf
• Assured periodic tenancies — rent increases for landlords (GOV.UK): https://www.gov.uk/assured-tenancy-agreements-a-guide-for-landlords/rent-increases
• Apply for an open-market rent determination (GOV.UK): https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-an-open-market-rent-determination
• Renters’ Rights Act guidance (GOV.UK): https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/renters-rights-act-2025-guidance

Compliance note

This glossary content is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute formal legal advice, does not create a solicitor-client relationship, and should be checked against current legislation, official guidance, and the facts of the specific case.