Section 13 Rent Increase — The Only Legal Route

What is Section 13?

Section 13 of the Housing Act 1988 gives landlords the statutory right to propose a rent increase for a periodic tenancy. The process requires serving a prescribed notice — Form 4— on the tenant, giving at least two months' written notice before the proposed new rent takes effect.

The tenant can accept the proposed increase or, if they believe it is above the market rate, refer it to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) for a determination. The Tribunal sets the market rent, which can be higher, lower, or the same as the landlord's proposal.

What changed under the Renters' Rights Act?

Prior to the Act, landlords could increase rent via a rent review clause in the tenancy agreement (common in fixed-term tenancies). From 1 May 2026:

• All tenancies are periodic — there are no fixed-term tenancies to write rent review clauses into
• Section 13 is now the only legal route to increase rent
• Rent can only be increased once in any 12-month period
• The tenant's right to challenge at tribunal remains, and the updated Form 4 must be used

Step-by-step: how to increase rent correctly

1. Check you're eligible — at least 12 months must have passed since the current rent was set or the last increase took effect.
2. Research the market rate — your proposed rent must be at or below the market rent for the property. Check comparable lets in the area.
3. Complete Form 4— use the prescribed Form 4 (updated for the Renters' Rights Act). Tenant City generates this automatically from your tenancy record.
4. Serve with at least two months' notice — the notice must be served at least two months before the proposed effective date. Tenant City calculates the earliest valid date.
5. Keep proof of service— serve by a method that gives you evidence of delivery. Tenant City's e-signature and digital delivery via Zoho Sign provides a timestamped audit trail.
6. New rent takes effect — on the specified date, unless the tenant has referred it to tribunal.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Increasing rent without a Section 13 notice — a rent review clause or verbal agreement is not sufficient. The new rent is not legally payable without a valid Section 13 notice.
• Insufficient notice period — less than two months' notice makes the notice invalid.
• Wrong form — using an outdated form is a common error. Tenant City always uses the current prescribed form.
• Increasing more than once in 12 months — only one Section 13 increase per 12-month period is permitted.
• Proposing above market rent — the Tribunal will cap the increase at market rate and can set it lower than the current rent in some cases.

How Tenant City handles Section 13

• Form 4 generated automatically from your tenancy record — pre-filled with tenant name, address, current rent, and proposed new rent
• Notice period validation — the platform calculates the earliest valid effective date so you cannot accidentally serve a short-notice notice
• Digital service via Zoho Sign — e-signature and delivery confirmation gives you proof of service without printing or posting
• Rent record updated — once the increase takes effect, rent tracking on your tenancy dashboard reflects the new amount