Raising the rent used to be whatever your tenancy agreement allowed. Since 1 May 2026 there is exactly one lawful route, and it has firm limits: the Section 13 procedure. Get the form or the timing wrong and the increase is invalid.
The rules in four lines
- Use the statutory Section 13 notice (Form 4A) — rent review clauses are now void.
- Give the tenant at least two months' notice before the new rent starts.
- You can only raise the rent once every 12 months.
- The new rent must not exceed open-market rent for a comparable property.
The tenant's right to challenge
A tenant who thinks the increase is above market rate can refer it to the First-tier Tribunal. The crucial change for landlords: the tribunal can no longer set the rent *higher* than you proposed, and increases can't be backdated. So an aggressive ask carries downside but little upside — pitch to genuine market rent, with evidence to back it.
How to set a defensible figure
- 1Gather three or four genuine comparables — similar properties, similar area, currently advertised or recently let.
- 2Account for the condition and features of your property honestly.
- 3Keep the evidence on file in case the increase is challenged.
- 4Serve Form 4A correctly, with the right dates, and diarise the next eligible date 12 months on.
A common, costly mistake
Serving a Section 13 notice less than 12 months after the last increase, or with under two months' notice, makes it invalid — and you cannot simply re-serve to fix the date. Track the anniversary precisely.
How Rentwire helps
Rent increases are an annual, per-tenancy event that's easy to forget and easy to mistime across a portfolio. Rentwire tracks each tenancy's last increase and next eligible date, so you can ask your AI assistant "which tenancies can I serve a Section 13 on this month?" and get the right list with the right dates — no invalid notices, no missed years.
Frequently asked questions
- How often can I raise the rent under the Renters' Rights Act?
- Once every 12 months, using a Section 13 notice (Form 4A) with at least two months' notice. Rent review clauses in tenancy agreements no longer have effect.
- Can the tribunal set my rent higher than I asked for?
- No. Since 1 May 2026 the First-tier Tribunal cannot set the rent above the figure the landlord proposed, and an increase cannot be backdated. This removes the old risk to tenants of challenging, so expect challenges to be more common.
This article is general information for UK landlords and letting agents, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules change and individual circumstances differ — check the latest guidance from GOV.UK or a qualified professional before acting.