Periodic Tenancy Rent Increase in England: Section 13 Rules

Assured Private Tenancies Are Now Periodic

Since 1 May 2026, private rented sector tenancies in England within the assured regime are assured periodic tenancies. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 abolished fixed-term tenancies in the private rented sector. Existing Assured Shorthold Tenancies (ASTs) converted automatically — no action required from landlord or tenant — into open-ended assured periodic tenancies on that date.

This matters for rent increases because Section 13 of the Housing Act 1988 is the only lawful way to raise rent on an assured periodic tenancy. Contractual rent review clauses are void. You cannot negotiate an informal increase with the tenant and simply start charging more. The statutory process using Form 4A is mandatory.

The 52-Week Frequency Rule

Rent on an assured periodic tenancy can be increased no more than once every 52 weeks. The clock starts from whichever of these events happened most recently:

• The tenancy start date (for a first rent increase)
• The effective date of the last Section 13 increase
• The date set by a First-tier Tribunal determination
• The date of a pre-reform contractual increase (for tenancies that converted on 1 May 2026 with a recent review clause adjustment)

A Form 4A notice proposing an effective date that falls within the 52-week window is invalid.

You can serve the notice before the 52 weeks expire — the rule governs the proposed effective date, not the date of service. This gives you room to serve early and build in the two-month minimum notice period while aiming for an effective date that falls on or after the 52-week mark.

What Changed for Tenancies That Converted From Fixed Terms

If your AST's fixed term expired before 1 May 2026 and the tenancy was already running as a statutory periodic tenancy, nothing changes mechanically. You were already required to use Section 13.

If your AST still had time left on its fixed term when conversion happened on 1 May 2026, the tenancy nonetheless became periodic on that date. The remaining fixed-term period has no legal effect. Any contractual rent review clause written into the fixed-term AST — including annual percentage increases or index-linked adjustments — is void.

The 52-week frequency clock starts from the date of the last lawful rent adjustment, whether that was the tenancy start or a contractual increase that took effect before 1 May 2026.

How to Raise Rent on a Periodic Tenancy

The procedure is the same regardless of whether the tenancy started as periodic or converted from an AST:

1. Confirm the 52-week rule is satisfied. Check whether 52 weeks have passed since the tenancy started, or since the effective date of the last rent change.

2. Research the market rent. The proposed figure should reflect what comparable local properties are achieving in agreed lettings — not advertised asking prices, but actual rents being paid.

3. Complete Form 4A. Fill in the tenant's name (all joint tenants if applicable), the property address, the current rent and payment interval, the proposed new rent, and the proposed effective date. The effective date must be at least two full calendar months after service and must align with the start of a tenancy rental period.

4. Serve the notice. Personal delivery (effective immediately), first-class post (deemed served two working days after posting), or email (only if the tenancy agreement expressly permits electronic service of statutory notices).

5. Retain proof of service. Certificate of Posting, signed receipt, or email confirmation — whichever matches your delivery method.

The tenant then has until the proposed effective date to accept the increase or refer it to the First-tier Tribunal. If they do neither, the new rent takes effect on the date specified in the form.

Tenancies That Fall Outside Section 13

Not every periodic arrangement is caught by the Section 13 rules. Regulated tenancies created before 15 January 1989 under the Rent Act 1977 use the Fair Rent registration system instead. Tenancies where the occupier shares living accommodation with a resident landlord do not create an assured tenancy and are outside the Housing Act 1988 framework entirely. Social housing tenancies have their own rent-setting regime.

If you are unsure whether your tenancy is an assured periodic tenancy, check the tenancy agreement. An AST that existed on 1 May 2026 converted to an assured periodic tenancy; the exclusions above apply to other tenancy types.

Step-by-Step Guidance

Our Section 13 rent increase guide for landlords in England walks through the full process from frequency verification to Form 4A completion, with a printable timeline planner and a proof-of-service log you can file alongside your tenancy records.

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