Rent Increase Compliance Checklist for England Landlords (2026)

A solid rent increase checklist is the difference between a rent rise that takes effect cleanly and one that a tenant challenges, the First-tier Tribunal strikes out, or that simply never becomes legally binding. Since the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 came into force on 1 May 2026, the rules around raising rent in England have tightened considerably, and the margin for error is smaller than most landlords realise. This guide gives you a complete, ordered checklist to run through before, during and after you serve a rent increase, so that every step is defensible if it is ever questioned.

The headline change is simple but far-reaching: there is now only one lawful route to increase rent on an assured periodic tenancy, and that is a statutory notice under Section 13 of the Housing Act 1988. Rent-review clauses in tenancy agreements are banned, informal “agreed” increases sit on shaky ground, and you can only raise the rent once every 12 months. Get the form, the timing or the figure wrong and the increase is void.

Why rent increases need a checklist in 2026

Before the Renters’ Rights Act, landlords had several ways to raise rent: a rent-review clause in a fixed-term assured shorthold tenancy (AST), a negotiated increase at renewal, or a Section 13 notice on a periodic tenancy. Two of those three routes are now gone.

• Fixed-term ASTs no longer exist. Every assured tenancy in England is now periodic (rolling) by default. There is no “renewal” moment at which you can present a new agreement at a higher rent.
• Rent-review clauses are banned. Any clause in a tenancy agreement that purports to increase rent automatically, by a fixed percentage, by reference to inflation, or “as the landlord sees fit”, is unenforceable. If your agreement contains one, ignore it and use Section 13.
• Section 13 is the only statutory mechanism. It uses the current prescribed form on GOV.UK, can be used once per year, and gives the tenant the right to challenge the figure at the First-tier Tribunal.

Crucially, the Tribunal can now only confirm your proposed rent or set a lower figure, it can never increase the rent above what you asked for. That removes a long-standing risk for tenants and changes the negotiating dynamic. It also means there is no downside for a tenant in challenging an increase, so your figure needs to be genuinely defensible.

For the full mechanics behind each step, see our guide to Section 13 rent increases explained. This page is the practical checklist version.

The complete rent increase checklist

Work through these sections in order. Skipping ahead is where most invalid increases come from.

1. Confirm you are even allowed to increase rent yet

• [ ] The tenancy is an assured periodic tenancy. Almost all private residential tenancies in England now are. If you are dealing with a company let, a holiday let, or a tenancy at a very high or very low rent, different rules may apply, check before relying on Section 13.
• [ ] At least 12 months have passed since the last increase (or since the tenancy began, if rent has never been raised). You can only increase rent once in any 52-week period.
• [ ] There is no live increase already in progress. You cannot stack two Section 13 notices.

2. Decide on a defensible new figure

• [ ] Benchmark against local market rents. Pull comparable listings for similar properties in the same area. Screenshot or save them, this is your evidence if the tenant goes to Tribunal.
• [ ] Sense-check the percentage uplift. A modest, market-aligned rise is far less likely to be challenged than an aggressive one. Remember the Tribunal can only reduce your figure, so an unrealistic number simply invites a challenge that costs you the increase for months.
• [ ] Record your reasoning. Note why the new rent is fair: market movement, comparable properties, improvements you have made. You may never need it, but if you do, contemporaneous notes are powerful.

Our rent increase calculator can help you arrive at a fair, evidenced figure and the earliest lawful effective date.

3. Use the correct prescribed form

• [ ] Use the current prescribed form on GOV.UK. A Section 13 increase must be served on the statutory form, not a letter you have written yourself. An informal letter is not legally binding for a periodic assured tenancy, see rent increase letter vs Section 13 notice for when each applies.
• [ ] Download a fresh copy of the form. Prescribed forms change. Never reuse a saved PDF from a previous year without checking it is still current.
• [ ] Complete every field accurately, including the full names of all tenants, the property address, the current rent, the proposed new rent and the date the new rent starts.

4. Get the notice period and effective date right

• [ ] Give at least the minimum notice. For a monthly periodic tenancy you must give a minimum period of notice before the new rent takes effect; for tenancies with longer periods the notice is longer. Always count generously and add a buffer.
• [ ] Align the start date to the beginning of a rental period. The new rent must take effect at the start of a period of the tenancy, not mid-month.
• [ ] Diarise the effective date and the date the notice was served, so you have a clear record.

5. Serve the notice correctly

• [ ] Serve all named tenants. If there are joint tenants, every tenant named on the agreement should receive the notice.
• [ ] Use a method that proves delivery. Hand delivery with a witness, recorded post, or the service method specified in the tenancy agreement. Keep proof.
• [ ] Keep a dated copy of exactly what you served, plus your evidence of service.

6. After service: handle a Tribunal challenge

• [ ] Understand the tenant’s options. The tenant can accept the new rent (by paying it or doing nothing), or refer the notice to the First-tier Tribunal before the new rent is due to start.
• [ ] Know the Tribunal outcome range. The Tribunal will set an open-market rent that is no higher than your proposed figure. It may confirm your rent or set it lower.
• [ ] Have your evidence ready. Your comparables and reasoning from step 2 are what you will submit.

Worked example: a clean Section 13 increase

Priya lets a two-bedroom flat in Leeds on an assured periodic tenancy. The current rent is £950 per month, last increased in May 2025. It is now June 2026.

1. Eligibility: More than 12 months have passed since the last increase, and there is no live notice. Priya can proceed.
2. New figure: Comparable two-bed flats nearby are letting for £1,000–£1,050. Priya proposes £1,000, a modest, evidenced rise. She saves screenshots of five comparable listings.
3. Form: She downloads the current prescribed Section 13 form from GOV.UK and completes it with the tenancy details, current rent of £950 and proposed rent of £1,000.
4. Timing: She serves the notice in June with the new rent taking effect on 1 September 2026, comfortably beyond the minimum notice period and aligned to the start of a monthly rental period.
5. Service: She hands the notice to her tenant in person with a witness present and keeps a signed, dated copy.
6. Outcome: The tenant considers the figure fair against the market and does not refer it to the Tribunal. From 1 September, the lawful rent is £1,000.

Because Priya followed the checklist, the increase is watertight. Had she written an informal letter, reused an old form, or set the effective date mid-month, the increase could have failed.

Common mistakes that void a rent increase

For a deeper look at how these errors play out, read invalid Section 13 rent increase: the errors that void your rent rise.

How the rent increase checklist fits the wider compliance picture

A rent increase does not happen in isolation. If your underlying tenancy paperwork, deposit protection or certificates are not in order, you can create wider problems, and a tenant scrutinising a rent increase may well look at everything else too.

• Make sure your tenancy agreement reflects the periodic model and contains no banned rent-review clause. See how to write a tenancy agreement in England.
• Confirm your deposit is correctly protected and the prescribed information has been served, because deposit failures can undermine other landlord actions.
• Keep your certificates (gas, electrical, EPC) current, these underpin your overall standing as a compliant landlord.

If you want a single, ordered route through everything the Act requires, our Renters’ Rights Act 2025 compliance checklist covers the whole picture, of which rent increases are one part.

A printable pre-send rent increase checklist

Keep this short version to hand every time you raise rent:

1. Is the tenancy an assured periodic tenancy?
2. Has it been at least 12 months since the last increase?
3. Is there no other live increase notice?
4. Is the new figure benchmarked and evidenced?
5. Am I using the current prescribed form from GOV.UK?
6. Are all tenant names and property details correct?
7. Does the notice give at least the minimum notice period (plus a buffer)?
8. Does the new rent start at the beginning of a rental period?
9. Have I served every named tenant by a provable method?
10. Have I kept a dated copy and proof of service?
11. Do I have comparables ready in case of a Tribunal referral?

Ten green ticks before you serve, and you have done everything within your control to make the increase stand.

Frequently asked questions

How often can I increase rent in England in 2026?

Once every 12 months. You serve a Section 13 notice using the current prescribed form on GOV.UK, and you cannot raise the rent again until at least 12 months have passed since the increase took effect. There is no longer any fixed-term renewal moment to lean on, because all assured tenancies are now periodic.

Can I still use a rent-review clause in the tenancy agreement?

No. Rent-review clauses are banned and unenforceable under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. Even if your agreement still contains one, you cannot rely on it. The only lawful way to raise rent is a Section 13 notice on the current prescribed form.

What happens if my tenant disputes the increase?

The tenant can refer the notice to the First-tier Tribunal before the new rent is due to start. The Tribunal will assess the open-market rent and set a figure that is no higher than the rent you proposed, it can confirm your figure or reduce it, but it can never increase it. This is why a defensible, market-aligned figure matters: an unrealistic number simply invites a challenge with no upside for you.

Is an informal rent increase letter ever enough?

For a statutory increase that binds the tenant, no, you need the prescribed Section 13 form. An informal letter only “works” if the tenant freely agrees to the new rent and pays it, and even then it is on weaker footing than a properly served notice. For anything you want to be enforceable, use Section 13. Our guide on rent increase letter vs Section 13 notice explains the distinction in detail.

When does the new rent actually start?

At the start of a rental period, after the minimum notice period has elapsed. For a monthly tenancy that means the first of a month-long period, not a mid-month date. Always build in a buffer beyond the bare minimum to avoid an off-by-a-day error that invalidates the whole notice.

Do I have to give a reason for the increase?

The prescribed form does not require you to justify the figure to the tenant. However, you should always have your reasoning and comparable evidence on file, because if the tenant refers the notice to the Tribunal, those comparables are exactly what you will rely on to defend your proposed rent.

Coming soon

Tenancy Pilot is launching soon, and our rent increase notice generator is built around exactly this checklist. It will guide you through the current prescribed Section 13 form, calculate the earliest lawful effective date, flag if you are inside the 12-month window, and produce a clean, dated notice ready to serve, with deadline alerts so you never miss the right moment to raise rent. Combined with the command-centre dashboard, it keeps every rent review, certificate and notice on a single timeline.

It is not live yet, but you can be first in line: join the waitlist to get early access when we launch.

This guide is general information for England landlords and is not legal advice. The law changes and individual circumstances vary. Always check the latest guidance on GOV.UK and the legislation on legislation.gov.uk, and consult a qualified solicitor before serving a rent increase or relying on any notice.