Changing the Rent

From 1 May 2026, the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 changes how rent increases work for most private rented homes in England.

Assured tenancies

A rent increase cannot take effect from one rent period to the next unless the landlord uses the statutory process, via a Section 13 notice, or the Tribunal fixes the rent after a challenge.

That means clauses in tenancy agreements that try to raise the rent automatically, such as RPI or CPI clauses, annual uplifts, and stepped increases, will no longer work for future increases under the new rules.

The routes to a higher rent

The following are the only available ways to increase the rent on an assured periodic tenancy:

a Section 13 notice on the prescribed form
a First-tier Tribunal decision after the tenant challenges the rent
a new written statement tenancy agreement (but keep in mind this would reset the clock for some possession grounds, such as the selling or moving in grounds)

The landlord and tenant can still agree on all sorts of things between themselves, but if the outcome is a higher rent, it has to come through one of those routes.

After a Section 13 notice has been served, the parties can agree on a lower figure than the one in the notice. That is often the easiest way to avoid a Tribunal dispute.

Start by checking the tenancy periods

Before serving anything, work out the tenancy periods, meaning the rent days.

For example, the tenancy might run:

monthly from the 1st of each month
monthly from the 15th of each month

This matters because a Section 13 increase must start on the first day of the tenancy period.

How Section 13 works

Work out the earliest lawful start date. The date in the notice has to:

be the first day of a tenancy period
be at least two months after the notice is served
fall outside the first 52 weeks of the current tenancy
be at least 52 weeks after the last increase took effect, where that earlier increase took effect under Section 13 or because of a Tribunal decision

In real life, most landlords leave themselves a little extra room for service and delivery, and to make sure the date lines up properly with the rent day.

You can serve the notice before the one-year mark. What matters is the date the new rent would actually start, not the date the notice was sent.

The notice itself has to be on the prescribed form 4A. It also needs to be served properly, in line with the tenancy terms, and in a way you can later prove if there is an argument about service.

After that, one of three things usually happens:

the tenant does nothing, and the new rent starts on the date in the notice
the tenant applies to the First-tier Tribunal because they say the proposed rent is too high
the parties settle on a lower figure after the notice has been served

Timing rules

The minimum notice period is two months.
It will often need to be longer because the increase must start on a rent day.
For most private rented tenancies, the first Section 13 increase cannot take effect during the first 52 weeks.
Usually, there can only be one increase in any 12-month period through Section 13 or a Tribunal decision.
Serving the notice early is allowed. The key question is when the new rent is due to take effect.

Tribunal challenges

Challenging the starting rent

A tenant can apply to the Tribunal within six months of the tenancy starting to challenge the rent payable under the tenancy, subject to limits where the Tribunal has already set the rent.

If the Tribunal decides the open-market rent, the rent payable after that decision is the lower of:

the open-market rent set by the Tribunal
the existing tenancy rent

So the tenant does not risk pushing the rent above the current level by making that application.

Challenging a Section 13 increase

If the tenant applies before the proposed increase would otherwise take effect, the Tribunal decides the open-market rent.

After that, the rent payable becomes the lower of:

the open-market rent set by the Tribunal
the rent proposed in the Section 13 notice

Again, that means the Tribunal cannot set a figure higher than the amount the landlord requested in the notice.

If the Tribunal gives its decision after the date in the notice, the rent does not simply roll back to that original start date. The effective date depends on when the decision is made, with only limited room for adjustment if the Tribunal finds undue hardship.

If the notice is invalid

Where there is a Tribunal application, the Tribunal can also decide whether the Section 13 notice is valid.

If it is not, the proposed increase fails, and the landlord must start again with a new notice.

Existing tenancies on 1 May 2026

If a clause-based increase took effect before 1 May 2026, it stays valid.

But for increases after that date, section 13, prescribed form, at least two months’ notice, a rent day start date, and the yearly limit.

There is one wrinkle. The once-a-year timing rule is tied to increases that took effect under Section 13 or following a Tribunal decision. A clause-based increase that occurred before commencement remains valid, but it counts towards the 52-week rule before section 13 can be used to increase the rent again.

New tenancies from 1 May 2026

For new assured tenancies in the private rented sector:

in year one, a Section 13 increase will usually not be able to take effect until at least 52 weeks after the first tenancy period began
after that, use Section 13, give at least two months’ notice, and keep to no more than one increase each year

Lodger agreements

If the landlord shares accommodation with the occupier, the arrangement will usually be an excluded licence.

The licence fee can only be increased if:

the agreement contains a valid review clause, and the landlord follows it
the lodger agrees to the increase

If there is an agreement, record it in writing.

There is no prescribed form. A straightforward letter will usually do.

As a rule of thumb, give at least one licence fee period’s notice, with a minimum of one month. If the lodger pays monthly, give a month. The new fee should start on the due date.

Contractual tenancies

A contractual tenancy, often called a common-law tenancy, is one that cannot be an assured tenancy. Examples include:

resident landlord cases where the landlord lives in one part of the building and rents out another part, does not share accommodation with the tenant, and the tenant has exclusive possession
company lets
tenancies with rent above £100,000 a year or below £250

In those cases, the rent can only be increased if:

there is a valid rent review clause, and it is followed
the tenant agrees to the increase

Any agreement should be recorded in writing.

There is no prescribed form. A clear letter will usually be enough. As a rule of thumb, give at least one rent period of notice with a minimum of one month and make the new rent start on a rent day.

Rent Act tenancies

Regulated tenancies are governed by the Rent Act 1977 and were created before 15 January 1989.

Under that system, either the landlord or the tenant can apply for a fair rent to be registered. Once that happens, the fair rent is the only rent the landlord can charge.

Fair rents are set by the local Rent Service. They do not track market scarcity as open-market rents do. If you need local contact details, the council’s housing advice service can usually point you in the right direction.

If a fair rent is already registered, a fresh registration usually cannot be made until at least two years after the current one took effect, unless:

landlord and tenant apply together
there has been a change in circumstances, such as significant repairs, improvements, or a change in the tenancy terms

If the rent has not yet been registered, the landlord may be able to increase it if the agreement allows for increases. If it does not, the rent can only be increased if:

landlord and tenant enter into a formal rent agreement, subject to the special rules
the Rent Officer registers a fair rent

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