How much can a landlord raise rent in England in 2026?

Which rules does this page cover?

England only. The rules below apply to assured periodic tenancies in England, which since 1 May 2026 covers almost every private tenancy, because existing fixed-term ASTs converted automatically on that date. For what the change means on the tenant side, see big changes for renters this May. Wales and Scotland have separate systems and their own forms. Regulated tenancies that started before 15 January 1989 follow the fair rent rules instead.

There is no cap, only a process

England sets no maximum percentage for rent increases as of October 2026. The limit is the open market rent, meaning what a willing tenant would pay for your property if you let it today. What the Renters’ Rights Act controls is how and how often you increase.

You can raise the rent once a year, and not at all in the first 12 months of a tenancy. You must use Form 4A, the Section 13 notice, and give at least two months’ notice before the new rent starts. If the tenant thinks the figure is above market, they can apply to the First-tier Tribunal before the new rent starts. The tribunal decides the market rent and cannot set it higher than the figure on your notice. Until it decides, the old rent carries on, and it can push the start back by up to two months where the tenant would face undue hardship.

Comparable lettings help explain how you reached the proposed rent. They do not guarantee the outcome of a challenge: the tribunal assesses the evidence for that property. It cannot set a rent above the figure you proposed.

How a Section 13 rent increase works

The process runs in four steps:

1. Check the market. Pull recently let comparables: same area, bedroom count, property type and condition. Asking rents are ambition; agreed rents are evidence.
2. Serve Form 4A. Give at least two months’ notice, with the new rent starting at the beginning of a rent period. Government guidance says to follow this process every time, even when the tenant has already agreed.
3. The tenant decides. They either pay the new rent from the start date, or apply to the First-tier Tribunal before that date.
4. The tribunal rules if asked. It sets the open market rent, capped at your proposed figure, and the new rent runs from the date it directs.

Our working guide to the Renters’ Rights Act covers the wider changes. For the practical side of a review, see rent reviews after the Renters’ Rights Act.

A checklist before you serve Form 4A

Before you serve

1. Confirm the property is in England and the tenancy is an assured periodic tenancy.
2. Check the dates. The tenancy must be more than 12 months old, and at least a year must have passed since the last increase took effect, whether that came from a Section 13 notice, a tribunal decision or an old review clause.
3. Gather three or more comparables let in the last few months, with the agreed rent, the date, the source and a line on how each compares in size and condition.
4. Talk to the tenant first. Gov.uk suggests discussing the increase before serving, and a conversation often avoids a tribunal application.

Serving the notice

1. Download the current Form 4A from gov.uk. The old Form 4 is for notices served before 1 May 2026.
2. Set a start date at the beginning of a rent period at least two months after the date the tenant receives the notice. If in doubt, add a few days.
3. Serve it in person, by post, or by email if the tenancy agreement allows email.

What to record

1. A copy of the completed form, and proof of how and when it was served.
2. The comparables pack exactly as it stood on the day you served.
3. The new rent and start date, updated on the tenancy record and the rent schedule.
4. The earliest date of the next review, in the diary.

Illustrative example

This example uses invented figures to show the timing. It is not a Livdin client or a real property.

A two-bedroom house in Huddersfield has been let since July 2024. The rent is paid on the 1st of each month and was last increased to £750 from 1 August 2025. Four similar houses nearby let in the last three months at £790 to £825. The landlord proposes £800, an increase of £50 a month (6.7%).

The agent hands Form 4A to the tenant in person on 20 October 2026 and notes the date. Two months later is 20 December, so the first rent period starting after that is 1 January 2027, and that becomes the start date. A year has passed since the August 2025 increase, so the timing holds.

If the tenant accepts, £800 is due from 1 January 2027. If they apply to the tribunal before then, they keep paying £750 until it decides. The tribunal can set £800 or less, never more, and the next increase cannot take effect until at least a year after this one does.

The market varies too much for a single percentage

Local markets move at very different speeds. Two ONS figures show it in our patch:

Area	ONS average private rent	Annual change
Kirklees	£759/month (March 2026)	up 10.5%
Leeds	£1,133/month (April 2026)	up 2.6%

Start from what similar properties are letting for, not from a percentage you read somewhere. Our rent estimate tool gives a realistic range for a specific property in two minutes. Keep the comparables with your rent-review record and explain the proposed figure to your tenant. A tenant can still challenge it. With the average tenancy across our managed homes running 24 months, assess the net return too: a void month and re-letting costs can outweigh the extra rent.

What you can no longer do

Rent review clauses no longer work in private tenancies in England, including increases agreed under a clause before 1 May 2026 that were due to start after it. A quick email or a quiet word does not replace Form 4A. When you re-let, bidding is banned: you must advertise a specific rent and cannot ask for, encourage or accept offers above it, and councils can fine up to £7,000 for a first breach. You also cannot take rent before the tenancy agreement is signed, and between signing and the start of the tenancy the usual maximum is one month’s rent.

Where we fit

We run annual, evidenced rent reviews on every property we manage across Huddersfield, the Holme Valley and West Yorkshire: comparables pulled, Form 4A served correctly, the file kept in case of challenge. It is part of full property management at 10% of monthly rent plus VAT, with the whole fee schedule public. If you have not reviewed a rent since before the Act, call 01484 981717 and we will give you a defensible figure, not a flattering one.

Rules change and some provisions of the Act are still bedding in. This page reflects GOV.UK guidance and legislation.gov.uk as checked on 12 October 2026 and is not legal advice. We confirm the current requirements before serving any notice, and you should check gov.uk before acting.