Section 13 Rent Increase Notice (Form 4A)

Section 13 Rent Increase Notice (Form 4A)

A Section 13 notice is the formal way for a private landlord in England to increase the rent. It's served on Form 4A, the form prescribed under section 13 of the Housing Act 1988, as amended by the Renters' Rights Act 2025. Since 1 May 2026 it's the only way to raise the rent on a private assured tenancy: rent review clauses in tenancy agreements no longer have any effect. Robot Lawyer fills in Form 4A from your answers and works out the earliest date the new rent can legally start.

CONTENTS

What Is a Section 13 Notice?

A Section 13 notice of rent increase is a notice from a landlord to a tenant proposing a new rent. It's named after section 13 of the Housing Act 1988, and in England it must be on Form 4A, or a form substantially to the same effect.

The notice states the current rent, the proposed new rent and the date the new rent will start. It also tells the tenant what to do next: pay the new rent, agree something different with the landlord, or ask the First-tier Tribunal to decide the rent.

If the tenant does nothing, the new rent starts on the date in the notice. Form 4A is for private landlords. Social landlords such as councils and housing associations use Form 4.

The Rules for Increasing Rent in England

• Two months' notice
  The notice must be served at least two months before the new rent starts.
• Once a year
  The rent can only be increased once in any 52-week period, and never in the first 52 weeks of the tenancy. Sometimes 53 weeks must pass, so the increase date doesn't drift earlier each year.
• Start of a rent period
  The new rent must start on the first day of a rent period. For a monthly tenancy that began on the 20th, the new rent starts on the 20th of a month. For a weekly tenancy that began on a Monday, it starts on a Monday.
• Market rent
  You should propose a rent in line with similar homes nearby. If the tenant challenges it, the tribunal decides the open-market rent.
• No other way to increase the rent
  A rent review clause in a tenancy agreement has no effect. The only alternative is to agree a new rent with the tenant in writing.
• Bills included in the rent
  If the rent includes council tax, water, energy, broadband or a fixed service charge, the notice shows the amount of each charge now and in future.

Robot Lawyer applies these rules to your answers. If you leave the start date blank, we use the earliest date the law allows. If the date you choose is too early, we use the next valid date and explain why.

How to Complete a Section 13 Notice

Form 4A has four sections for the landlord to fill in, then guidance for the tenant:

1. The tenant's details
   The full name of every tenant and the address of the property.
2. The landlord's details
   The landlord's name and contact address, plus a phone number and email if you want. Giving an email address means the tenant and the tribunal can serve documents on you by email.
3. The agent's details
   Only if a letting agent is acting for you.
4. The rent
   The current rent and how often it's paid, the date the tenancy started, the dates of the most recent increase and of the first increase after 11 February 2003, the new rent, the date it starts, and any charges included in the rent.

The landlord or their agent then signs and dates the notice. Joint landlords can each sign, or one can sign for all of them. Sections 5 and Notes A and B explain the tenant's options and the date rules, and they're always included in full.

How to Serve a Section 13 Notice

Form 4A tells landlords to keep evidence that the notice was served. If your tenancy agreement sets out how notices must be served, use one of those methods. If it doesn't, you can:

• Hand it to the tenant
  Give it to the tenant in person. A witness or a dated photo is good evidence.
• Leave it at the property
  Put it through the letterbox at the tenant's address and record when you did it.
• Send it by post
  Registered or recorded post gives proof of delivery. Allow time for delivery when you count the two months.

With joint tenants, make sure the notice is served on every tenant named on it, and keep a copy of the signed notice.

Can a Section 13 notice be served by email? Only if the tenancy agreement allows notices by email, or the tenant has agreed in writing to accept them that way. Otherwise, serve a paper copy.

What Happens If the Tenant Challenges the Increase?

A tenant who thinks the new rent is too high can apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber). The application must reach the tribunal before the date the new rent is due to start. The market rent determination guidance on GOV.UK explains how to apply.

The tribunal decides the rent the property could get on the open market on the same terms, taking into account things like its condition. Its figure can be higher or lower than your proposal, but the tenant never pays more than the rent you proposed in the notice.

The new rent can't be backdated. If the tribunal decides before the start date in your notice, the new rent starts on that date. If it decides later, the new rent starts from the first rent period after the decision, unless the tribunal sets a later date to avoid undue hardship to the tenant. Until then, the tenant pays the current rent.

How It Works on Robot Lawyer

1. Answer the questions
   Tell us about the tenants, the property, the landlord, the current and new rent, any previous increases and how you'll serve the notice.
2. Generate your notice
   We fill in Form 4A with your answers and work out the earliest legal start date. You also get a landlord's checklist showing how the date was calculated and how to serve the notice. The checklist is for you and isn't served.
3. Get it verified
   On the Verified plan, one of our solicitors checks your notice within 24 hours and makes amendments where needed. The Essentials plan does not include this check. See how our documents are verified.
4. Sign and serve it
   Sign and date the notice, serve it on your tenants, and keep a copy and your proof of service.

What Your Document Looks Like

Your notice follows the official Form 4A layout, with your answers filled in, Form 4A's notes to landlords, and the tenant's information in Section 5 and Notes A and B. Here is an extract from a sample notice we generated:

4.5 The landlord is proposing a new rent of

Note 4.5: Insert how often the rent should be paid, such as per week, fortnight, four weeks, month. This is the tenancy period. This must be a month or less.

£1,000

Frequency: per month

4.6 The new rent will start on

Note 4.6: There are rules about how soon this date can be. See guidance in Note A at the end of this notice.

15 January 2027

Section 13 Notice FAQs

What is a Section 13 notice?

It's the notice a private landlord in England uses to propose a rent increase for an assured tenancy, on Form 4A. It must give at least two months' notice and can be used once a year.

What does a Section 13 notice look like?

It's the official Form 4A: a few pages with the tenant's and landlord's details, the current and new rent, the start date and any included bills, followed by guidance for the tenant. You can download a blank copy of Form 4A on GOV.UK.

How much notice do I need to give?

At least two months. The new rent must also start on the first day of a rent period, and at least 52 weeks after the tenancy began and after the last increase.

How often can I increase the rent?

Once a year. You can't increase it in the first 52 weeks of the tenancy, and each increase must be at least 52 weeks after the last one (sometimes 53 weeks).

Can a Section 13 notice be served by email?

Only if the tenancy agreement allows notices by email or the tenant has agreed in writing. Otherwise, serve it by hand, by leaving it at the property or by post.

Can my tenant refuse the rent increase?

The tenant can apply to the First-tier Tribunal before the start date, or agree a different rent with you in writing. If they do neither, the new rent starts on the date in the notice.

Can I use a rent review clause instead?

No. Since 1 May 2026, rent review clauses in private assured tenancies in England have no effect. You must use a Section 13 notice, or agree a new rent with the tenant.

Does this notice work in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland?

No. Form 4A is for homes in England only. For a property elsewhere, use our Notice of Rent Increase or Decrease. Landlords in Wales should also check the rules for occupation contracts.

Create a Section 13 Notice

Propose a new rent the right way, with a start date that follows the rules. You can start with a 7-day free trial. See our pricing for the plans. Read our guide on how to notify tenants of a rent increase. Related documents: Assured Periodic Tenancy Agreement, Section 8 Notice, Rent Receipt, Rent Repayment Plan and Rental Inspection Report.