Rent increases after 1 May 2026: using Section 13

A landlord reviewing the rent in autumn 2026 needs two dates before deciding when an increase can begin: the start of the tenancy and the date the last increase took effect. The Renters’ Rights Act made Section 13 the required route for assured periodic tenancies, so an old rent-review clause no longer provides a separate shortcut.

The process is manageable when those dates and the proposed market rent are recorded in advance. Problems tend to arise when the notice is treated as an informal letter, or when the 12-month interval is counted from the day the previous notice was written rather than from the day the previous rent began.

The increase must fit the annual timetable

Rent cannot be increased during the first year of an assured periodic tenancy. After that, an increase can normally take effect once in each 12-month period. If the last increase took effect on 1 February 2026, the next one cannot take effect before 1 February 2027.

Discussing a proposal with the tenant can resolve questions early, but an agreement in conversation does not replace the statutory process. The landlord still uses Form 4A and gives the completed form at least two months before the proposed rent is due to start.

Form 4A records the proposal and its effective date

The current form asks for the existing rent, proposed rent, payment period and start date. It also asks for information about the tenancy and the last increase so the timing can be checked. Use the current form from GOV.UK rather than a saved copy of the former Form 4, because the notice period and wording changed with the new regime.

Delivery also needs a record. The form can be given in person or by post, and it can be sent by email where the tenancy agreement allows that method. Keep the completed form and evidence of delivery with the rent schedule so the two-month period can be shown later if it is questioned.

The proposed figure is tested against open-market rent

A tenant can ask the First-tier Tribunal to decide the rent if they believe the proposal is above the open-market level. That means the rent a similar property could reasonably command if offered on the market, not an automatic percentage increase and not a way to recover every cost the landlord has absorbed since the last review.

Keep dated evidence for properly comparable properties: location, size, condition, furnishing and significant differences all affect how useful a comparison is. A short record of how the figure was reached is more helpful than a folder of asking-price screenshots with no explanation of why those homes resemble this one.

Pre-May notices and review clauses need separate treatment

A valid rent increase served on the former Form 4 before 1 May 2026 can still take effect under the notice that was given. The next increase must then wait at least a year from that effective date. An increase relying only on a rent-review clause is different: if it was agreed before May but was due to take effect afterwards, current government guidance says it does not apply.

This is why the underlying document matters. Record whether the last change came from a statutory notice, a review clause or the beginning of a new tenancy before calculating the next date.

Record the effective date rather than the drafting date

A useful reminder should tell the landlord when the next increase may take effect and leave enough time for the two-month notice. Entering the date on which the current rent began gives the 12-month anchor; it does not decide what the next rent should be or whether an exception applies.

The landlord compliance tracker keeps that eligibility date beside each property’s certificate and licence dates. Before serving a notice, compare the reminder with the tenancy history and download the current Form 4A from GOV.UK.