Free Section 13 Rent Increase Notice (Form 4) — UK 2026

About This Template

This is the prescribed Form 4 for proposing a new rent on an assured periodic tenancy under section 13(2) of the Housing Act 1988. Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, every tenancy in England is now periodic — so Form 4 applies to virtually every rental relationship in the private rented sector.

Key rules from May 2026:

• Minimum 2 months' notice before the increase takes effect (raised from 1 month under the Renters' Rights Act)
• Rent can only be increased once every 12 months
• The effective date must fall on the first day of a rental period
• Contractual rent review clauses are void — Section 13 is the only compulsory mechanism
• Tenants can refer the proposed rent to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) if they believe it exceeds the market rate

When to Use Section 13 Form 4

Use this notice when all of the following apply:

• You want to raise the rent on an assured periodic tenancy
• The tenancy is in England (Scotland and Wales have different frameworks)
• At least 12 months have passed since the last increase took effect
• The tenant has not agreed in writing to a voluntary increase

You do not need Form 4 if the tenant agrees to the new rent in writing. A simple email or text confirming the new amount and date is legally sufficient for an agreed increase. Many landlords send Form 4 anyway to start the 12-month clock clearly and create a formal record.

This template does not apply to: commercial lettings, social housing, licences to occupy, or tenancies in Scotland (which use a different rent increase process under the Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016).

How to Complete Form 4: Field-by-Field Guide

Landlord's name and address

Enter your full legal name exactly as it appears on the tenancy agreement. If you let through a company, enter the company's registered name and registered office address.

Tenant's name(s)

Critical: every joint tenant must be named. On a joint tenancy, omitting even one person makes the notice defective and unenforceable. Check the original tenancy agreement to confirm who holds the tenancy.

Property address

Full address including postcode. Use the address exactly as it appears on the tenancy agreement.

Current rent

Enter the rent currently payable — the amount the tenant is paying right now, not the proposed new amount.

Proposed new rent

The new rent you're proposing. There is no statutory cap on the size of the increase, but it must reflect the open market rent. If it doesn't, the tenant can refer it to the First-tier Tribunal and the Tribunal will set the rent at the market level. Research comparable local lettings on Rightmove and Zoopla before deciding on the figure — see the how to raise rent guide for how to prepare Tribunal evidence.

Date the new rent will start (effective date)

This is the most error-prone field. The effective date must satisfy both of these conditions simultaneously:

1. It is at least 2 months after the date you serve the notice
2. It falls on the first day of a rental period (e.g., the 1st of the month if rent is due monthly on the 1st)

If your chosen date fails either test, the notice is invalid and you must re-serve.

Calculating Your Notice Period: Worked Examples

Add 2 calendar months to the service date, then identify the next rent-due date on or after that result.

Service date	+2 months	Rent due on	Earliest valid effective date
1 May 2026	1 July 2026	1st of month	1 July 2026
15 May 2026	15 July 2026	1st of month	1 August 2026
1 June 2026	1 August 2026	1st of month	1 August 2026
20 June 2026	20 August 2026	1st of month	1 September 2026
10 July 2026	10 September 2026	15th of month	15 October 2026

If rent is due on a different day of the month, the same logic applies — add 2 months, then find the next rent-due date. Never put a date that is less than 2 full calendar months ahead of your service date, regardless of how the months land.

Serving the Notice Correctly

The notice must be served correctly or it has no legal effect. Valid service methods:

• Personal delivery — hand the notice directly to the tenant. Best to bring a witness or take a timestamped photo of the handover.
• First-class post — deemed served the next working day under s.196 Law of Property Act 1925. Keep your proof of postage.
• Recorded delivery — provides a tracking confirmation. Use if you expect the tenant to dispute receipt.
• Email — only valid if the tenancy agreement specifically permits electronic service. Most standard assured shorthold tenancy agreements do not. Do not rely on email service unless you've verified this.

Text messages, WhatsApp messages, and verbal agreements are not valid service methods for Section 13 notices, even if the tenant acknowledges receipt. Always retain your proof of service — you may need it if the tenant disputes the notice or the case goes to Tribunal.

What Happens After You Serve the Notice

1. Wait out the 2-month notice period. The increase cannot take effect before the effective date stated on the form.
2. The tenant may challenge. If they believe the proposed rent exceeds the market rate, they can apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) before the effective date. The application automatically suspends the increase while the case is pending.
3. No challenge — new rent applies automatically. If the tenant does not refer the notice to the Tribunal before the effective date, the new rent is due from that date. Update your rent records immediately.
4. Tenant ignores the increase. The new rent applies even if the tenant keeps paying the old amount. The shortfall accumulates as rent arrears. Once arrears reach 2 months' rent, you can serve a Section 8 notice under mandatory Ground 8.

For the Tribunal process in detail — including how to compile comparable evidence and what hearings involve — see the full Section 13 rent increase guide.

5 Mistakes That Void a Section 13 Notice

1. Using an outdated version of Form 4. HMRC periodically revises prescribed forms. An old version — even if materially identical — is not valid. Download a fresh copy from gov.uk for every notice you serve. The template below is always kept current.
2. Giving less than 2 months' notice. Measure from the date of service to the effective date. If you serve on 15 May and specify 1 July as the effective date, that is less than 2 months. The notice is invalid and must be re-served with a corrected date.
3. Specifying an effective date that is not the start of a rental period. If rent is due on the 1st and you specify 15 August, the notice fails. The effective date must be the first day of a rental period — 1 September in this example.
4. Omitting a joint tenant's name. A notice naming only one tenant in a joint tenancy is defective. Check the tenancy agreement carefully for all named parties.
5. Serving within 12 months of the last increase. A Section 13 notice with an effective date within 12 months of the previous increase is void. The tenant can — and should — ignore it.

After the Increase: Record-Keeping

Once the effective date arrives and the new rent applies:

• Update your rent records with the new amount and effective date
• Note the earliest date you can serve the next Section 13 notice (12 months from the effective date)
• Keep a copy of the served Form 4 and proof of service for at least 5 years — HMRC requires records for that long under the landlord tax records rules
• If using property management software, update the rent figure immediately to avoid invoice discrepancies

For a wider picture of your obligations as a self-managing landlord, including rent reviews, compliance dates, and tax returns, see the self-managing landlord guide.

What's Included in the Download

• Editable Word (.docx) format — complete on screen or print and hand-write
• All required fields: landlord and tenant details, property address, current rent, proposed new rent, effective date
• Guidance notes for completing each field correctly
• Tenant's notes section explaining their right to refer to the First-tier Tribunal
• Landlord and agent signature blocks
• Updated for the Renters' Rights Act 2025 — includes 2-month notice requirement and 12-month frequency limit

FAQs

Can I serve a Section 13 notice during a fixed term?
All tenancies in England are now periodic under the Renters' Rights Act 2025 — there are no more fixed-term ASTs. If you were on a fixed term before the Act commenced, it converted automatically. Section 13 Form 4 applies to all assured periodic tenancies in England.

The tenant agreed informally. Do I still need to use Form 4?
No. If the tenant confirms the increase in writing — email or letter — no formal notice is required. Section 13 is only needed to compel an increase over the tenant's objection. That said, many landlords issue Form 4 anyway to start the 12-month clock unambiguously.

How many times a year can I increase rent?
Once every 12 months, measured from the effective date of the previous increase. Even after 12 months have passed, you must give 2 months' notice before the next increase takes effect.

Can I set the new rent higher than the market rate?
You can propose any figure, but if the tenant challenges at Tribunal, the Tribunal will cap it at the market rate. Setting an above-market figure invites a challenge you are likely to lose — the Tribunal cannot go higher than your proposed rent, only lower or the same.

What's the difference between Section 13 and a rent review clause?
Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, rent review clauses in tenancy agreements are void. Section 13 Form 4 is the only valid compulsory mechanism for raising rent on a periodic tenancy where the tenant objects.

Free download — editable Word (.docx) format. Enter your email below and we'll send the template to your inbox. You'll also get our occasional landlord newsletter (unsubscribe any time).