The Renters' Rights Act 2025 abolished contractual rent-review clauses on periodic assured tenancies from 1 May 2026. The only lawful way to increase rent on a periodic assured tenancy in England is a Section 13 notice on Form 4A. Using any other method, including a rent-review clause in the tenancy agreement, does not bind the tenant.
What is Form 4A and why is it now mandatory?
Form 4A is the prescribed statutory form for a Section 13 notice under the Housing Act 1988. Before the Renters' Rights Act 2025, landlords could choose between the statutory Section 13 procedure or a contractual rent-review clause contained in the tenancy agreement. From 1 May 2026, that choice disappeared: contractual rent-review clauses are no longer effective on periodic assured tenancies. Form 4A is now the only route.
The requirement applies to:
- All new periodic assured tenancies granted after 1 May 2026
- All existing fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies that have converted to periodic assured tenancies at the end of their fixed term
- Any existing statutory periodic tenancy already in place at 1 May 2026
Calculating the correct effective date, the most common error
The effective date is the date from which the new rent will apply. It must satisfy two conditions simultaneously, and getting either wrong invalidates the entire notice:
- First day of a period of the tenancy: For a monthly tenancy that commenced on the 15th of the month, the effective date must be the 15th of a future month, not any other date. For a weekly tenancy starting on a Monday, the effective date must be a Monday
- At least two months after service: The effective date must be at least two full months after the date the notice is served. Count from the service date, not the date on the form
- Posting adds two working days: If you post by first class post, the deemed date of service is two working days after posting. Example: if you post on Monday 30 June 2026, the deemed service date is Wednesday 2 July 2026, so the effective date cannot be before 2 September 2026, and must fall on the correct day of the period
Completing Form 4A, what you need to fill in
- Property address: Full postal address of the tenancy property
- Tenant names: All joint tenants named on the tenancy agreement must be addressed in the notice
- Current rent: The rent currently being paid
- Proposed new rent: The amount of the proposed increased rent, expressed as a figure per week, month, or year, use the same period as the tenancy
- Effective date: The date from which the proposed new rent is intended to take effect (calculated as above)
- Signature and date: Landlord (or authorised agent) signature and the date of signing, the date of signing is not necessarily the same as the date of service
Serving Form 4A, methods and proof
- Personal delivery: Hand the notice to the tenant in person. Service takes effect on the date of delivery. Ask the tenant to sign a receipt
- Leaving at the property: Leave the notice at the let property. Service takes effect on the date of leaving. Photograph the notice at the property as proof
- First class post: Post the notice to the property. Deemed service is on the second working day after posting. Keep the certificate of posting
- Email (only if permitted): Email service is only valid if the tenancy agreement expressly permits it and the tenant has agreed in writing to service by email. Keep delivery and read receipts
The tenant's right to refer to the First-tier Tribunal
On receipt of a valid Form 4A, the tenant has the right to refer the proposed rent increase to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) before the effective date. Key points:
- Referral deadline: The tenant must refer before the effective date. After the effective date passes without referral, the increase takes effect automatically
- Effect of referral: The effective date is postponed pending the Tribunal's determination. The current rent continues while the Tribunal considers the matter
- What the Tribunal determines: The Tribunal sets the open market rent, it does not simply approve or reject the landlord's proposed figure. It can set the rent at any level it determines to be the market rate
- Landlord evidence: Present comparable rental evidence to the Tribunal; advertised rents for similar properties in the same area, same size and condition. Online portals (Rightmove, Zoopla) letting data for recent comparable lets is persuasive
- Above-market increases: If your proposed increase is significantly above market, the Tribunal will set it at market rate. A proposed increase at or slightly above market is the safest approach if you wish to avoid a downward Tribunal determination
What happens if the tenant simply stops paying at the old rate
Once a valid Section 13 notice takes effect (either after the notice period without Tribunal referral, or following a Tribunal determination), the proposed or Tribunal-set rent is the legally due rent. If the tenant continues to pay only the old (lower) rate, the difference between the new rent and the amount paid accumulates as rent arrears.
Those arrears can be recovered via the small claims court or, if they reach a threshold, used as the basis for a Section 8 possession notice (Ground 8, mandatory serious arrears, currently 3 months, or, for a pattern of late payment, the discretionary Ground 11). A mandatory persistent-arrears 'Ground 8a' was proposed in the earlier Renters (Reform) Bill but was not enacted.
Common Form 4A mistakes to avoid
- Wrong form version: Using the pre-RRA 2025 Form 4 instead of the current Form 4A. Always check you are using the form prescribed after 1 May 2026
- Wrong effective date: Not the first day of a period, or fewer than two months from service. A wrong effective date voids the notice
- Missing joint tenant names: If only one of two joint tenants is named, the notice is invalid against the unnamed tenant
- Second notice within 12 months: Serving a Section 13 notice within 12 months of the previous increase taking effect is not permitted
- No proof of service: Without proof of service, a disputed notice is extremely difficult to enforce
LetSafe UK, Section 13 notice template (Form 4A)
- Section 13 Rent Increase Notice (LS-E-011): Up-to-date Form 4A for England periodic assured tenancies post-RRA 2025. Includes completion guidance, service notes, effective date calculation worksheet, and an acknowledgement of service form for the tenant to sign
- Periodic Assured Tenancy Agreement (LS-E-001): The correct tenancy agreement for all new England lets from 1 May 2026