How often can I increase rent under the RRA?

Once every 52 weeks. The Act uses weeks specifically (not months). The clock starts from the tenancy start date or the last increase, whichever is later. There can be no increase in the first 52 weeks.

How much notice do I have to give?

Two months. This was raised from one month for monthly tenancies by Section 6(4) of the RRA, amending Section 13(2)(a) of the Housing Act 1988.

Can the tribunal set a higher rent than I proposed?

No — not since 1 May 2026. Under new Section 14ZB, the resulting rent is whichever is lower of open market rent or the landlord’s proposed rent. This is a key change — pre-RRA the tribunal could set a higher market rent, which deterred challenges.

What if my tenant challenges — will the increase still take effect on the proposed date?

No. The tribunal’s determination takes effect from the determination date (or the next rent payment date), not backdated to your proposed effective date. Challenging effectively delays the increase. The tribunal can additionally defer by up to 2 months on hardship grounds.

Does this apply in Scotland?

No. Scotland has its own rent increase regime under the 2016 Act — three months’ notice, referral to a Rent Officer at Rent Service Scotland. Use the Scotland rent increase template instead.

Form 4A Rent Increase Notice Template

Form 4A Rent Increase Notice Template — England, Post-RRA 2025

Published 22 May 2026 · Last reviewed 8 August 2026

A free Section 13 rent increase notice on the new prescribed Form 4A. 52-week cap, two months’ notice, and tribunal-aware wording that reflects the RRA’s upper-limit and no-backdating rules.

Want the rules explained rather than the document?Rent Increases After the Renters' Rights Act: How Section 13 and Form 4A Actually Work — the deadlines, the notice periods and what invalidates them.

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When you need this document

Contractual rent-review clauses in English private assured tenancies became void on 1 May 2026. The only legal way to increase rent on a private APT is now a Section 13 notice using the prescribed Form 4A.

This isn’t a marginal change. Section 6 of the RRA 2025 amends Section 13 of the Housing Act 1988 in several substantive ways: the once-per-52-weeks cap (the Act uses weeks, not months), the two-month notice period (raised from one month for monthly tenancies), the new Section 14ZB tribunal upper-limit rule (the resulting rent is whichever is lower of the open market rent or the landlord’s proposed rent), and the no-backdating rule (a successful tenant challenge effectively delays the increase).

If you previously increased rent by a contractual clause — RPI-linked, fixed percentage, annual review at the anniversary — that mechanism doesn’t work any more. Form 4A is the only route. This template populates it correctly, calculates the earliest valid effective date, and includes the bundled-charges breakdown that the RRA now requires.

Who needs this document

You want to raise the rent on an English tenancy

Section 13 on Form 4A is now the only lawful route, whatever the tenancy agreement says about reviews.

Your agreement contains an RPI or CPI-linked review clause

It has been void since 1 May 2026. If you have taken an increase under it since, the increase was not lawfully imposed.

You raised the rent less than 52 weeks ago

You have to wait. The Act counts in weeks, not months, which catches landlords whose rent periods do not align with calendar months.

You expect the tenant to challenge

Worth knowing before you serve: the tribunal cannot now set a rent above your proposed figure, and cannot backdate, so a challenge costs you time rather than money.

Mistakes that invalidate it

The errors that turn a document you thought was compliant into one that gives you nothing.

Raising the rent by letter or email

It has no statutory effect. If the tenant agrees in writing and pays, that is a variation by agreement; if they later dispute it, you have nothing.

Giving one month’s notice

Two months is now the minimum for all private assured tenancies. A one-month notice is invalid and the 52-week clock does not restart.

Increasing within the first 52 weeks of the tenancy

Not permitted, regardless of what was agreed at the outset.

Proposing a figure above open market rent to leave negotiating room

The tribunal caps at the lower of market rent and your proposal, so an inflated figure gains nothing and invites a challenge that delays the whole increase.

RRA 2025 context

RRA 2025 — the rent increase changes that matter. Section 13 is the only route since 1 May 2026. Once every 52 weeks (not "twelve months" — the Act uses weeks specifically). Two months’ notice (raised from one). Tribunal upper-limit under new Section 14ZB: the resulting rent is whichever is lower of open market rent or the landlord’s proposed rent — the tribunal cannot set a higher figure. No backdating: a successful challenge delays the increase to the determination date, not the landlord’s proposed date. Hardship deferral: the tribunal can defer the effective date by up to 2 additional months if the increase would cause undue hardship.

Starting-rent challenge under new Section 14(A1): tenants can challenge their initial rent within 6 months of tenancy commencement. The test has been lowered from "significantly higher" to simply exceeding open market rent.

Frequently asked questions

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Sources

Every statute, form and scheme named above, linked to the primary source.

Assured tenancy forms, including Form 3A and Form 4A — GOV.UK
Renters' Rights Act 2025 — legislation.gov.uk
Housing Act 1988 — legislation.gov.uk

Form 4A Rent Increase Notice Template — England, Post-RRA 2025

When you need this document

Who needs this document

Mistakes that invalidate it

What’s included

RRA 2025 context

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Frequently asked questions

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Sources

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