How to raise the rent (once a year, section 13)
In England you can raise the rent once every twelve months, by a section 13 notice on the prescribed form with two months' notice. Here is the procedure and what the tenant can do about it.
England. Checked against the law on 27 September 2026. Information, not legal advice.
The rule
Since 1 May 2026 there is one way to increase the rent on an assured periodic tenancy in England: a section 13 notice.
- Once in any twelve-month period.
- On the prescribed form (Form 4).
- At least two months' notice, taking effect at the start of a rental period.
- To a rent no higher than the property would fetch on the open market.
Rent-review clauses in agreements no longer have any effect.
Step by step
- Check the date of the last increase (or the start of the tenancy). MyLandlordPA keeps this on the tenancy record and tells you when the window opens.
- Decide the new figure. That is yours to set; the PA can show you comparable listings but will not choose the number.
- Serve Form 4 with at least two months' notice. Keep proof of service.
- If the tenant does nothing, the new rent applies from the date on the form.
- If the tenant applies to the First-tier Tribunal before that date, the tribunal sets the rent at market level or lower, never higher, and the new rent runs from the tribunal's date.
Things that go wrong
- Serving the notice by email when the agreement does not allow it.
- Less than two months, or a start date mid-period.
- A second increase within twelve months (void).
- Raising the rent to push a tenant out: the tribunal can lower it, and the tenant keeps their tenancy.
Questions landlords ask
Can I put the rent up more than once a year?
No. In England one section 13 increase per twelve months is the limit, and a rent-review clause in the agreement cannot get around it.
What happens if my tenant refuses the increase?
They can apply to the First-tier Tribunal before the increase date. The tribunal decides a market rent, which can be lower than you asked but not higher. Until then the old rent stands.
Is there a cap on how much I can raise the rent by?
There is no percentage cap, but the new rent cannot exceed what the property would let for on the open market, and the tenant can have that tested at the tribunal.
More guides
What changed for landlords on 1 May 2026
The Renters' Rights Act came into force in England on 1 May 2026. Section 21 is gone, every tenancy is now periodic, and rent rises follow one procedure. Here is what a self-managing landlord actually has to do differently.
The assured periodic tenancy explained
Every private tenancy in England is now an assured periodic tenancy. What that is, how it starts, how it ends, and what your agreement can and cannot say.
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The PA keeps every date in this guide for you and asks before anything that costs money.