A Section 13 notice is the statutory notice a landlord or their letting agent must use to propose a rent increase on a private assured tenancy in England. Since 1 May 2026 it must be served on prescribed Form 4A, give at least two months' notice, and take effect at the start of a rent period.
A Section 13 notice is now the only lawful way to increase the rent on a private assured tenancy in England.[1][2] The Renters' Rights Act 2025 kept Section 13 in place from 1 May 2026 but reworked it: a minimum of two months' notice, and a new prescribed form, Form 4A.[3][4] For the wider process, see our complete guide to rent reviews under the Act.
When do you need a Section 13 notice?
Whenever a landlord you act for wants to increase the rent on a private assured tenancy in England. Every private assured tenancy is now periodic, and government guidance is explicit that you cannot raise the rent by any other means, such as a rent review clause.[2] Those clauses are of no effect, even in agreements signed before the Act.[4] See Are rent review clauses still valid?
Rent can rise no more than once a year: at least 52 weeks between increases, and none within the tenancy's first 52 weeks. In some years the gap is 53 weeks, because 52 weeks is slightly shorter than a calendar year and the increase date would otherwise creep earlier each cycle.[4][5] See How often can a landlord increase rent? for the mechanics.
What are the rules for serving Form 4A?
Three timing conditions apply, and all of them must be met.[4][5]
- Serve the notice at least two months before the new rent starts.
- The start date must be at least 52 weeks after the tenancy's first period began, or after the last increase took effect. In some years that is 53 weeks: if 52 weeks would land more than six days before the anniversary of the reference date in question 4.4, wait an extra week. This anti-drift rule stops review dates creeping earlier each year.
- The new rent must start at the beginning of a rent period; on a monthly tenancy running from the 20th, the increase must start on a 20th.
The form is prescribed by regulation, so a letter or email is not a valid notice.[6][5] Form 4A replaced Form 4 for the private rented sector on 1 May 2026 and is free to download on GOV.UK.[7] Keep evidence of service too. Form 4A's own guidance is to use a method agreed in the tenancy agreement, or to hand the notice to the tenant, leave it at the tenant's address, or send it by registered post.[5] Timing is covered in more depth in How much notice must a landlord give?
What does Form 4A ask for?
More than the old form did, and completing it fully matters, because a defective notice is open to referral to the tribunal.[5] The form requires:[5]
- The tenant names and the property address.
- Landlord details, plus a dedicated agent section; an email address entered there can be used by the tenant and the tribunal for service.
- The current rent, its payment frequency, and the tenancy start date.
- The dates of previous rent increases: question 4.3 records the most recent increase that anchors the once-a-year calculation, and question 4.4 the earlier reference date.
- The proposed new rent and its start date.
- A table of any charges included in the rent (council tax, water, fuel, communication services, fixed service charges), current and proposed.
The landlord or their agent signs the notice, and electronic completion and signature are expressly allowed.[5]
Which form do you need?
Form 4A is for the private rented sector in England only.[5] Serving the wrong form means you have not served a valid Section 13 notice and the increase has no legal effect, so check before you send.[5][7]
| Form | Use it for |
|---|---|
| Form 4A | Proposing a new rent on a private assured tenancy in England |
| Form 4 | Social rented sector tenancies only |
| Form 5A | Assured agricultural occupancies in the private rented sector |
What happens after you serve it?
One of three things, set out on the form itself.[5][4]
- The tenant accepts and pays the new rent from the start date; the notice takes effect automatically.
- You agree a change in writing. Once a notice has been served, landlord and tenant can agree to vary what it proposed: a rent lower than the figure on the notice, no change at all, or a later start date, never a higher figure. The agreement has to be recorded in writing, or the rent on the notice takes effect regardless.[4]
- The tenant refers the rent to the First-tier Tribunal. The application must be received before the start date on the notice and costs £47.[8] The tribunal determines the open market rent, cannot set a rent higher than the figure on your notice, and the increase is not backdated. The old rent remains payable until the decision.[9][5]
If no application is made and nothing is agreed, the proposed rent applies from the start date on the notice.[4] We walk through the challenge route in What happens if a tenant challenges a rent increase at tribunal?
MarketRent generates and sends the Section 13 notice as part of a documented rent review workflow, and blocks dates that fail the 52-week rule, the rent-period start date, or the notice length. For a data-backed reference point before you propose a figure, try the Free Rent Indexation Tool.
This article is general information for letting agents in England, not legal advice.
Sources
- The Renters' Rights Act 2025 (Commencement No. 2 and Transitional and Saving Provisions) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/421)
- Guide to the Renters' Rights Act, GOV.UK (MHCLG)
- Renters' Rights Act 2025, section 6
- Housing Act 1988, section 13 (as amended)
- Form 4A, landlord's notice proposing a new rent for assured tenancies in the private rented sector (GOV.UK)
- The Assured Tenancies (Private Rented Sector) (Prescribed Forms and Transitional Provisions) (England) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/354)
- Assured tenancy forms, GOV.UK
- Apply for an open market rent determination, GOV.UK
- Renters' Rights Act 2025, section 7