A Rent Increase Notice under Section 13 of the Housing Act 1988 is the statutory mechanism by which a landlord in England may propose an increase in the rent payable under an assured periodic tenancy or an assured shorthold periodic tenancy. It is the prescribed legal process for raising the rent where there is no rent review clause in the tenancy agreement, or where the tenancy has become a statutory periodic tenancy following the expiry of a fixed term.

The statutory notice system under Section 13 balances the landlord's right to charge a market rent with the tenant's right to challenge an unreasonable increase. When a landlord serves a valid Section 13 notice proposing a new rent, the tenant has the right to refer the proposed increase to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) for an independent determination of the market rent for the property. If the tenant does not refer the notice to the Tribunal before the date the increase is due to take effect, the proposed new rent takes effect automatically on that date.

The prescribed form for a Section 13 notice in England is Form 4, titled 'Landlord's Notice Proposing a New Rent Under an Assured Periodic Tenancy of Premises Situated in England'. The form must be used correctly for the notice to be valid. It requires the landlord to specify the address of the property, the current rent, the proposed new rent, and the date from which the new rent will take effect. The form also sets out the tenant's right to refer the notice to the Tribunal.

Section 13 applies only to periodic tenancies. It cannot be used to increase the rent during a fixed-term tenancy. The minimum notice period varies depending on the frequency of the rental period: one month for monthly or weekly tenancies, three months for quarterly tenancies, and six months for yearly tenancies. The effective date must be the first day of a new period of the tenancy. A landlord may only serve one Section 13 notice in any twelve-month period.

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 (Royal Assent 27 October 2025) introduces significant reforms to the rent increase regime. Once fully implemented, Section 13 will become the sole mechanism for rent increases in all assured tenancies, contractual rent review clauses will be abolished, and the First-tier Tribunal will no longer be permitted to increase the rent above the amount proposed by the landlord.

A Section 13 Rent Increase Notice is needed whenever a landlord in England wishes to increase the rent payable under a periodic assured tenancy or assured shorthold tenancy and cannot rely on a contractual rent review clause in the tenancy agreement.

The most common circumstances in which a Section 13 notice is required include: the fixed-term tenancy has expired and the tenancy has become a statutory periodic tenancy under section 5 of the Housing Act 1988, and the landlord wishes to increase the rent to reflect current market conditions; the tenancy was always a periodic tenancy (rather than a fixed-term tenancy) and the landlord wishes to propose an annual rent increase; the tenancy agreement does not contain a rent review clause or the rent review clause has expired; the landlord and tenant have been unable to agree a new rent by negotiation and the landlord wishes to use the formal statutory procedure; or market rents in the area have increased significantly since the last rent was set and the landlord wishes to bring the rent in line with comparable properties.

A Section 13 notice is NOT appropriate where: the tenancy is still within a fixed term (the landlord must wait until the fixed term expires or rely on a contractual rent review clause); the landlord has already increased the rent within the last twelve months using a Section 13 notice or by any other means; the landlord and tenant have already agreed a rent increase by mutual written agreement (in which case no formal notice is needed); or the tenancy is an excluded tenancy or licence (such as a lodger arrangement), which is not subject to Section 13.

Landlords should be aware that the proposed increase should reflect the market rent for the property. The First-tier Tribunal will determine the market rent if the tenant refers the notice, and an excessive or unreasonable increase is likely to be reduced. The Tribunal assesses the rent at which the property might reasonably be expected to be let in the open market by a willing landlord under an assured tenancy, disregarding tenant improvements and any disrepair caused by the tenant's breach of the tenancy agreement.

A valid Section 13 Rent Increase Notice for an assured periodic tenancy in England must contain the following key elements and comply with all statutory requirements under the Housing Act 1988:

The notice must be in the prescribed Form 4 as set out in the Regulatory Reform (Assured Periodic Tenancies) (Rent Increases) Order 2003, which updated the original regulations. The form specifies the information that must be provided, and using an incorrect or outdated form may render the notice invalid.

The identification of the parties and property must include the full name and address of the landlord (or the landlord's managing agent) and the full name(s) of the tenant(s) as they appear on the tenancy agreement. The full address of the property, including postcode, must be stated.

The current rent must be clearly stated in pounds sterling, showing the amount payable per rental period (weekly, monthly, quarterly, or yearly).

The proposed new rent must be clearly stated in pounds sterling. The proposed increase should reflect the current market rent for the property, taking into account comparable properties in the area, the condition and location of the property, and any amenities provided. An increase that significantly exceeds the market rent is likely to be challenged successfully by the tenant at the Tribunal.

The effective date must be stated. This must be the first day of a new period of the tenancy and must comply with the minimum notice periods specified in section 13(3) of the Housing Act 1988: at least one month for weekly or monthly periodic tenancies, at least three months for quarterly periodic tenancies, and at least six months for yearly periodic tenancies.

The notice must inform the tenant of their right to refer the proposed increase to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) under section 13(4) of the Housing Act 1988. The tenant must apply to the Tribunal before the date the new rent is due to take effect. If the tenant does not refer the notice, the proposed new rent takes effect automatically.

The landlord must ensure that the notice is properly served on the tenant. Service may be by first-class post, hand delivery, or through a process server. Proof of service should be retained in case of a dispute. The Housing Act 1988, section 13(3), requires that the notice period runs from the date of service, not the date the notice is signed.

The notice should be served no more than once in any twelve-month period. If a previous Section 13 notice has been served (or the rent has been increased by agreement or Tribunal determination) within the last twelve months, a new notice cannot be served until twelve months have elapsed from the date the last increase took effect.