How to increase rent under the Renters' Rights Act: Form 4A step by step
Rent can now rise once a year, not in a tenancy's first 12 months, on Form 4A with two months' notice. The steps, and what happens if a tenant challenges.
Rent reviews used to be written into tenancy agreements. Since 1 May 2026, that no longer works in England. Rent increases for assured periodic tenancies go through one route: a Section 13 notice on Form 4A.
This guide explains the rules, gives letting agents a process to follow, and covers what happens if a tenant challenges the new rent. Facts checked against gov.uk on 16 September 2026.
The rules in one table
| Rule | What it means |
|---|---|
| How often | Once a year |
| When the first increase can take effect | Not in the first 12 months of a new tenancy |
| Which form | Form 4A (a Section 13 notice) |
| Notice | At least 2 months |
| How much | Tenants can challenge an increase above market rent |
| Rent review clauses | No longer the way to raise rent on these tenancies |
Step by step
- Check the date. Find the tenancy start date and the date of the last increase. The new rent cannot take effect within 12 months of either.
- Research market rent. Look at comparable lets nearby: same size, condition and area. Keep the evidence, because it matters if the tenant challenges. Our free rent estimate tool is a quick starting point.
- Agree the figure with the landlord. Explain that an increase above market rent can be challenged, and that a tenant who feels priced out can leave on two months' notice.
- Complete Form 4A. Download the current version from gov.uk's assured tenancy forms page. Fill in the current rent, the proposed rent and the date it starts.
- Serve it with at least two months' notice. Keep proof of how and when it was served.
- Update your records. Diary the new rent, the date it starts, and the earliest date of the next increase.
When a tenant challenges an increase
A tenant who thinks the proposed rent is above market rent can challenge it. Two points changed recently:
- Tenants never pay more than the landlord asked for. The government's guide to the Act says a tribunal decision will not set a rent higher than the one proposed.
- Increases are not backdated while a challenge is decided.
On 9 September 2026 the government announced that HMRC's Valuation Office will take over first-stage rent challenges in England, to resolve them faster and take pressure off the First-tier Tribunal. During the transition, tenants challenging an increase will not pay the higher rent until the Tribunal has made its final decision.
For agents, the lesson is simple: an increase backed by clear comparable evidence is far less likely to be challenged, and far easier to defend if it is.
Talking to landlords about rent
Some landlords will push for a large increase now that fixed terms are gone. It helps to set out the trade-offs plainly:
- A good tenant who stays avoids void periods, re-letting fees and wear from a changeover.
- An increase above market rent can be challenged and will not be backdated.
- Tenants can end a periodic tenancy with two months' notice.
- Bidding above the asking rent is banned at the start of a tenancy, so "the market will pay more" is harder to test. See advertising a let under the new rules.
Common mistakes
- Serving an increase within the first 12 months of a new tenancy.
- Relying on a rent review clause instead of Form 4A.
- Giving less than two months' notice.
- Forgetting to record the date, so the next increase comes too soon.
- Raising rent by more than local evidence supports.
Keeping track across a portfolio
With dozens of tenancies, the hard part is dates: when each tenancy started, when rent last changed, and when the next review is allowed. In Letfold, every tenancy has its own record with its rent schedule, arrears and documents, and landlords see their statements in their own portal, so the numbers live in one place instead of a spreadsheet per landlord. For the wider changes, see our Renters' Rights Act guide for letting agents.
Frequently asked questions
How often can a landlord increase rent in England?
Once a year, and not in the first 12 months of a new tenancy.
What form is used to increase rent?
Form 4A, which is a Section 13 notice. Download it from gov.uk's assured tenancy forms page.
How much notice does a tenant get of a rent increase?
At least two months.
Can a tenant challenge a rent increase?
Yes, if they think it is above market rent. They will not pay more than the landlord proposed, and increases are not backdated while the challenge is decided.
Do rent review clauses still work?
No. For assured periodic tenancies in England, rent increases go through the Form 4A process.
Sources
Checked on 16 September 2026:
- Renters' Rights Act overview for tenants (gov.uk)
- Guide to the Renters' Rights Act (gov.uk)
- Assured tenancy forms (gov.uk)
- Stronger protections and greater confidence for renters, 9 September 2026 (gov.uk)
This article is general information, not legal advice.
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