The short version
- Rent can go up once a year, through a formal Section 13 notice.
- The landlord must give at least two months' notice and propose a market rent.
- Rent review clauses in the tenancy agreement no longer work as a shortcut.
- You can challenge the increase at the First-tier Tribunal before it takes effect.
- The tribunal cannot set the rent higher than your landlord asked for.
What is a Section 13 notice?
A Section 13 notice is the formal document a landlord uses to propose a new rent for an assured tenancy. It has to be on the correct form and say what the new rent will be and when it starts. A letter, text or verbal request is not enough, and the increase is not binding if the process has not been followed.
Under the Renters' Rights Act, all assured tenancies in England become rolling (periodic) tenancies, and Section 13 is the only way to raise the rent during one. Landlords can no longer rely on a clause in the tenancy agreement that raises the rent automatically, such as a fixed yearly percentage.
The rules your landlord must follow
- Once a year. Rent can only be increased once in any 12-month period.
- Two months' notice. The notice must be served at least two months before the new rent starts.
- A market rent. The new rent should reflect what similar homes in the area are let for, not just what the landlord wants.
- The right form. The notice must be on the prescribed form.
What if the rise is too high?
You have a right to challenge. If you believe the proposed rent is above the market rate, you can apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) before the new rent would take effect. The tribunal looks at what similar properties are let for and decides a market rent for your home.
The tribunal cannot set a rent higher than the figure your landlord proposed, so challenging should not leave you worse off than doing nothing. The new rent normally applies from the date the tribunal decides, unless that would cause you undue hardship.
How to check your rise is fair
- Work out the increase in pounds and percent with the rent increase calculator.
- Compare with similar properties: use the rental value calculator, local listings and the average rent by city data.
- Check whether you can afford it with the rent affordability calculator.
- Reply in writing. Our rent increase response letter helps you ask for evidence, propose a lower figure or say that you are considering a tribunal application.
Other changes that affect what you pay
- Landlords and agents can only ask for up to one month's rent in advance before the tenancy starts.
- Rental bidding is banned: landlords must publish an asking rent and cannot accept offers above it.
- The tenancy deposit cap is unchanged. Use the deposit calculator to see the maximum.
Negotiating before it gets formal
Many increases are settled by conversation. If you have been a reliable tenant, a landlord may prefer a smaller rise to the cost and risk of finding a new tenant. Our guide on how to negotiate rent sets out what to say, and our renters' rights guide covers the wider changes in the Act.