What Is a Section 13 Notice?

A section 13 notice is the notice a landlord in England gives a tenant to propose a new rent. It comes from section 13 of the Housing Act 1988. Since 1 May 2026 it has to be written on Form 4A, it has to give at least two months' notice, and it is the only way a landlord can raise the rent.

If you are a tenant with a notice in your hand, this page explains what it means and what you can do before the start date. If you are a landlord, it explains what the notice must contain and how to time it.

Published 18 Oct 2026·Updated 18 Oct 2026·8 min read·England only

Short answer

  • →It is the legal route for a landlord in England to propose a rent increase.
  • →It must be on Form 4A and state the current rent, the new rent and the start date.
  • →The landlord must give at least two months, and the rent cannot rise until 52 weeks after the last increase.
  • →The tenant can accept it, or apply to the First-tier Tribunal before the new rent takes effect.
  • →The tribunal can lower the rent but cannot raise it above the figure in the notice.

What a section 13 notice is

Most private tenants in England now have an assured periodic tenancy. It has no fixed end date and it rolls on from one rent period to the next. Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, which started on 1 May 2026, every fixed-term assured shorthold tenancy became periodic, and every new tenancy starts as periodic.

The landlord cannot change the rent by sending an email or a letter, and cannot rely on a clause in the tenancy agreement that sets a yearly rise. The landlord serves a section 13 notice, the tenant has time to respond, and the new rent starts on the date in the notice unless the tenant applies to the tribunal. The GOV.UK guidance for landlords says the section 13 process applies every time the rent goes up, even when the tenant has already agreed.

For the wider changes that came in with the Act, see our Renters' Rights Act guide for landlords and our article on what landlords do now that Section 21 is abolished.

What Form 4A must contain

Form 4A is the prescribed form, called "Landlord's notice proposing a new rent for assured tenancies in the private sector". It asks for:

  • The address of the property
  • The names of the landlord and the tenant
  • The current rent
  • The proposed new rent
  • The date the new rent would start
  • Information on the tenant's right to ask the First-tier Tribunal to set the rent

A notice that leaves out the new rent or the start date, or that is on the wrong form, can be challenged as invalid. If the tribunal agrees, the rent cannot go up and the landlord has to start again with a new notice. Our Form 4A template page shows the layout.

Notice period and timing

Two rules decide the earliest start date: the two-month notice period and the 52-week gap after the last increase. The later of the two applies.

RuleWhat it means
Prescribed formForm 4A, "Landlord's notice proposing a new rent for assured tenancies in the private sector".
Minimum noticeAt least two months between the tenant receiving the notice and the date the new rent starts.
FrequencyRent can go up once in any 12 months. The new rent cannot take effect until at least 52 weeks after the last increase.
Agreement does not replace the noticeA landlord has to use section 13 every time the rent goes up, including when the tenant has already said yes.
Rent review clausesAn increase under a clause in the tenancy agreement is not allowed if it takes effect on or after 1 May 2026.
Notices served before 1 May 2026A notice on the old Form 4 served before that date still applies, even if the new rent starts afterwards.

Earliest start date for a new rent

Enter the date the tenant will receive the notice. If the rent has gone up before, add the date that increase took effect.

This is a date check only. Allow extra days if you post the notice, and confirm the service method your tenancy agreement allows.

A worked example

Illustration, not a real case

A landlord charges £1,000 a month. The last increase took effect on 1 March 2026. The landlord wants £1,100 and serves a notice that the tenant receives on 1 December 2026.

  • Two months after 1 December 2026 is 1 February 2027.
  • 52 weeks after 1 March 2026 is 28 February 2027.
  • The later date is 28 February 2027, so the new rent cannot start before then.

The landlord picks 1 March 2027, the first day of the next rent period, and writes that on Form 4A. The tenant checks local listings, finds similar flats at £1,030, and applies to the tribunal before 1 March. The tribunal can set the rent at £1,030 but not above £1,100. If it sets £1,030, the new rent normally starts from the next rent period after the decision.

Change the figures and dates to match your own tenancy. The sums are the same for any rent.

What a tenant can do after receiving one

Check the start date on the notice first. Any challenge has to reach the tribunal before that date.

Accept the increase

The tenant does not sign anything. If the tenant takes no action, the new rent applies from the start date in the notice and is paid from that day.

Ask the tribunal to set the rent

The tenant applies to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) before the new rent takes effect. The fee is £47 as of May 2026. The tribunal decides the market rent and cannot go above the landlord's proposed figure.

Question whether the notice is valid

The tenant can ask the tribunal to decide if the notice was on Form 4A and gave at least two months. If the notice is invalid, the rent cannot go up and the landlord has to serve a new one.

Agree a different rent

A tenant and landlord can talk and settle on a figure. The landlord still has to serve a section 13 notice for the agreed amount.

When a tenant applies, the increase waits for the tribunal's decision. The new rent is not backdated to the date in the notice. If the tenant would suffer undue hardship from paying the new rent straight away, the tribunal can delay the start by up to two further months.

A tenant cannot be evicted for challenging a rent increase. Applications can be made online or on Form MR1 through the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber). Shelter's page on how to challenge a rent increase walks through the application. Our own article covers the tribunal process in detail.

Separate from a section 13 notice, a tenant can also ask the tribunal to look at the starting rent within six months of a new tenancy beginning.

Section 13, Section 8 and Section 21

People often mix these up because the numbers come from the same Act. They do different jobs.

Section 13Section 8Section 21
What it doesProposes a new rentSeeks possession on a stated groundEnded a tenancy with no reason given
FormForm 4AForm 3AForm 6A
Status in EnglandIn use, and the only way to raise rentIn use, and the only possession routeAbolished from 1 May 2026
NoticeAt least two monthsDepends on the groundTwo months (no longer available)

More detail in Section 8 vs Section 21. A landlord with a tenant in arrears may also want a rent arrears payment plan or a Section 8 notice. Neither is a substitute for a section 13 notice.

Common mistakes with section 13 notices

Most of these come from treating the notice as an informal letter. Each one gives the tenant grounds to challenge it.

1.

Using the old Form 4 or a plain letter

Notices served from 1 May 2026 have to be on Form 4A. A notice on the wrong form can be challenged as invalid, and an invalid notice means the rent does not go up.

2.

Giving less than two months

The notice has to give at least two months. A start date that is too close is a defect, even if the rest of the form is correct.

3.

Counting from the posting date

Notice runs from when the tenant receives the notice, not from the day it is sent. If you post it, add time and keep proof of delivery.

4.

Raising the rent twice within a year

The new rent cannot take effect until at least 52 weeks after the last increase. A second notice that breaks this rule is not valid.

5.

Relying on a rent review clause

Clauses that set automatic or agreed rises are not a route to a higher rent from 1 May 2026. Serve Form 4A instead.

6.

Leaving out the start date or the new rent

Both have to be on the form. A missing figure or date gives the tenant a clear ground to challenge the notice.

7.

Proposing a rent well above local lets

The tribunal sets the market rent. A figure far above similar properties is likely to be reduced if the tenant applies.

8.

No record of service

If the tenant says they never received the notice, the landlord has to show otherwise. Keep a dated record of how the notice was delivered.

How a landlord prepares a section 13 notice

Five steps, in order.

01

Check the tenancy and the last increase date

Confirm the property is let on an assured tenancy in England and find the date the rent last went up. If it has never gone up, use the tenancy start date as your reference point and check the gov.uk guidance for the first increase.

02

Find evidence for a market rent

Look at what similar properties nearby are advertised and let for. Save screenshots or agent valuations. The tenant can ask the tribunal to test your figure, and your evidence is what supports it.

03

Choose a start date

Pick a date at least two months after the tenant will receive the notice, and at least 52 weeks after the last increase. Many landlords choose the first day of a rent period so the new amount is easy to pay.

04

Complete Form 4A

Fill in the property address, the names, the current rent, the proposed rent and the start date. Use the form as published, without changing the wording.

05

Serve it and keep proof

Deliver the notice the way your tenancy agreement allows, such as by hand, post or email. Keep a dated record of how and when the tenant received it.

Prepare the notice with our generator

The Section 13 rent increase notice generator takes the tenancy and rent details you enter and produces a notice with the dates filled in. It prepares the document. You still choose the rent figure and serve the notice correctly.

Open the Section 13 notice generator →

About this guide

Last reviewed: 18 October 2026

Checked against the Housing Act 1988, the Renters' Rights Act 2025 and the GOV.UK landlord guidance on rent increases.

England only

Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own rules for rent increases and are not covered here.

General information

This is not legal advice. If your case is unusual, speak to a solicitor, Citizens Advice or Shelter.

OD

OfficeDraft Legal Team

We write about UK housing documents and update our guides and generators when the law or the prescribed forms change.

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Sources: Housing Act 1988, section 13 · Renters' Rights Act 2025 · GOV.UK: rent increases · Shelter England: challenge a rent increase · First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber)

Frequently asked questions about section 13 notices

What is a section 13 notice?▾
A section 13 notice is the notice a landlord in England gives a tenant to propose a new rent. It is named after section 13 of the Housing Act 1988. Since 1 May 2026 it must be written on Form 4A and it is the only way to raise the rent.
What is section 13 of the Housing Act 1988?▾
Section 13 of the Housing Act 1988 sets out how a landlord of an assured periodic tenancy proposes a new rent. It requires a prescribed form, which is now Form 4A, and sets rules on timing and notice.
What is a section 13 rent increase?▾
It is a rent increase proposed through a section 13 notice. The notice states the current rent, the proposed rent and the date the new rent would start. The tenant can accept it, or apply to the First-tier Tribunal before that date.
How much notice does a landlord have to give?▾
At least two months before the new rent takes effect. The increase also cannot take effect until at least 52 weeks after the date the rent last went up.
Can a landlord raise the rent without a section 13 notice?▾
No. From 1 May 2026 every rent increase has to go through section 13, even if the tenant agrees to it. A rent review clause in the tenancy agreement no longer works as a way to raise the rent.
Can a tenant refuse a section 13 rent increase?▾
A tenant cannot refuse it by ignoring it. If the tenant does nothing, the new rent applies from the date in the notice. To dispute it, the tenant applies to the First-tier Tribunal before that date.
Can the tribunal put the rent above what the landlord asked for?▾
No. The tribunal sets the rent at the market rent for the property, and it cannot set it higher than the amount proposed in the notice. It can set it lower.
Can a landlord evict a tenant for challenging a rent increase?▾
No. Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025 a tenant cannot be evicted for challenging a rent increase. Section 21 no-fault eviction no longer exists in England.
Does a section 13 notice apply in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland?▾
No. This article covers England. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland each have their own rules for rent increases.

Legal disclaimer

This article is general information for England and is not legal advice. Rules and forms can change, and a rent dispute depends on the facts of the tenancy. Check the current legislation and GOV.UK guidance, and take advice from a solicitor, Citizens Advice or Shelter before serving a notice or applying to the tribunal. The generator prepares a draft document and does not guarantee a legal outcome.

Published 18 October 2026 · Last updated 18 October 2026 · Author: OfficeDraft Legal Team

Need to serve a section 13 notice?

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