Section 13 Form 4A: How to Increase Rent as a Landlord in England

Why Form 4A Is the Only Route

Since 1 May 2026, Section 13 of the Housing Act 1988 is the sole lawful mechanism for increasing rent on an assured periodic tenancy in England. Contractual rent review clauses — the ones you might have written into your AST allowing a 5% annual increase or a market rent review every six months — are legally void.

This applies to every tenancy, whether it converted from an AST on 1 May 2026 or was created fresh after that date. There are no exceptions for properties where the contractual clause was agreed to by both parties.

The prescribed form is Form 4A, officially titled "Landlord's notice proposing a new rent for assured tenancies in the private rented sector." It was introduced by S.I. 2026/354.

The Rules

Two months' notice. You must serve Form 4A at least two full calendar months before the date you want the new rent to take effect. If you want a rent increase to start on 1 January 2027, the latest you can serve the notice is 31 October 2026.

Once every 12 months. A rent increase can take effect no more than once in any 12-month period. You may serve another Form 4A notice within the same calendar year if its proposed effective date is at least 12 months after the previous increase. For a new tenancy, no rent increase can take effect within the first 12 months.

Market rate. The proposed new rent should reflect the open market rate for comparable properties in the area. There is no statutory cap on how much you can increase by, but the tenant has the right to challenge the figure at the First-tier Tribunal.

How to Fill In Form 4A

The form asks for:

1. The tenant's name and the property address — straightforward, but must match the tenancy agreement
2. The current rent — the amount actually being paid, not an earlier figure from the original AST
3. The proposed new rent — what you want the tenant to pay going forward
4. The date the new rent takes effect — must be at least 2 full calendar months after service
5. The landlord's name and address — your address for service

Common errors to avoid:

• Getting the effective date wrong. Two calendar months means two full months, not 60 days. If you serve on 15 September, the earliest effective date is 15 November.
• Proposing an unrealistic figure. If the tenant refers the increase to the First-tier Tribunal, the Tribunal will assess the open market rent based on comparable local properties. It cannot set a rent higher than your proposed figure, but it can set one lower. A wildly inflated proposal invites a challenge.
• Serving the form while another increase is still within its 12-month window. If rent was last increased on 1 March 2026, the next increase cannot take effect until 1 March 2027 at the earliest.

What If the Tenant Challenges the Increase?

If a tenant believes the proposed rent exceeds the market rate, they can apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) for a determination. The application must be made before the proposed rent start date specified in your Form 4A.

The Tribunal assesses the open market rent by looking at comparable local lettings. Two important rules:

• The Tribunal cannot set a rent higher than the landlord's proposed figure
• The determined rent typically becomes payable from the date ordered by the Tribunal, which prevents retroactive arrears during the determination period

In practice, most rent increases at market rate go through without a challenge. Tribunal referrals are most common when landlords attempt large increases that are significantly above the going rate for similar local properties.

Transitioning from Contractual Rent Reviews

If your existing tenancy agreement contains a rent review clause — for example, one that allows a fixed percentage increase annually — that clause is void from 1 May 2026. You must switch to the Form 4A process.

The transition works like this: the rent stays at whatever the tenant was paying immediately before 1 May 2026 until you serve a valid Form 4A notice. The old clause cannot be enforced, even if both parties previously agreed to it. If you attempted to increase rent using the contractual clause after 1 May 2026, the increase has no legal effect and the tenant is entitled to continue paying the pre-increase amount.

What You Need to Do

1. Identify when your current tenancy started or when rent was last increased
2. Calculate the earliest date a new rent could take effect (12 months from the last increase or tenancy start)
3. Research comparable local rents to set a defensible proposed figure
4. Complete Form 4A and serve it at least 2 full calendar months before your target date
5. Keep a copy of the served notice and proof of service

Our Renters' Rights Act guide for landlords in England walks through the entire Section 13 process step by step, including how to gather comparable evidence and what to do if the tenant refers the increase to the Tribunal.

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