Section 13 rent increases: the new rules

What changed

From 1 May 2026, Section 13 of the Housing Act 1988 (as amended by the Renters' Rights Act 2025) became the only legal way to increase rent for assured tenancies in England.

Rent review clauses in tenancy agreements are now void. Even if your tenancy agreement contains a clause allowing annual rent increases by a set amount or formula, that clause no longer has any legal effect. The only route is a Section 13 notice.

How Section 13 works

Section 13 allows a landlord to propose a rent increase by serving a prescribed notice on the tenant. The key rules are:

• Maximum frequency: Once every 12 months
• Minimum notice period: 2 months before the increase takes effect
• Prescribed form: You must use the official Section 13 notice form. A letter or email is not sufficient.
• Market rent: The proposed new rent should reflect the market rent for the property in its current condition (not including the value of any tenant improvements)

The Section 13 notice form

The notice must be served using the government's prescribed form. It must include:

• The current rent
• The proposed new rent
• The date the increase takes effect (at least 2 months from the date of service)
• Information about the tenant's right to challenge at tribunal

An incorrectly completed form, or one that doesn't give the required notice period, is invalid.

Tenant challenges

Tenants who receive a Section 13 notice can refer it to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) for determination. The tribunal will:

1. Assess the market rent for the property
2. Determine a fair rent based on comparable evidence
3. Set the rent at whatever amount they consider to be the market rent

Important: The tribunal cannot set the rent higher than the amount the landlord proposed in the Section 13 notice. So there is no risk to the tenant in challenging. However, the tribunal may set the rent at the landlord's proposed amount if it considers that to be at or below market rent.

Potential percentage cap

The government has indicated that it may introduce a percentage cap on annual rent increases, tied to inflation (such as CPI or CPI + 1%). As of now, no cap has been implemented, but landlords should check the latest guidance before serving a Section 13 notice.

Advertising restrictions

Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, landlords cannot advertise a property at a rent higher than the amount they are genuinely willing to accept. This is designed to prevent rental bidding. The penalty for breaching this rule is up to £7,000.

What you should do

1. Stop relying on rent review clauses. They are void. Use Section 13 only.
2. Use the prescribed form. Download the latest version from GOV.UK or use a compliance tool that generates it for you.
3. Give at least 2 months' notice. Count from the date the tenant receives the notice, not the date you send it.
4. Research the market rent. Use comparable properties in the same area to justify your proposed increase.
5. Keep records. Record when you served the notice, how you served it, and what the proposed rent was.
6. Don't increase more than once per year. The 12-month clock runs from the date of the last increase, not the date of the last notice.

How LetShield helps

Use LetShield's free Section 13 calculator to work out the correct notice dates and track rent increases per property. The audit trail records when each notice was served and keeps a history of all rent changes.