Rent Increase Notice UK: Section 13 Rules by Nation

In England, a private landlord can raise the rent only once every 12 months, using a Section 13 notice that gives at least 2 months' notice, under the Renters' Rights Act 2025. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland each set their own rules.

Information last verified on 18 July 2026. This page sets out the England rules by default, with separate notes for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. This is general legal information, not legal advice.

How often can rent increase in England?

Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, in force since 1 May 2026, a private landlord in England can raise the rent on an assured tenancy only once every 12 months. Private assured shorthold tenancies became periodic assured tenancies on that date (a tenancy where a valid Section 21 or Section 8 notice had been served before 1 May 2026 stayed an AST while that notice could still be used), and a fixed-term rent-review or index-linked clause in an older tenancy agreement no longer has effect: it must go through the formal process instead. Any rent increase must use the Section 13 process, under section 13 of the Housing Act 1988 as amended. A landlord cannot simply ask for more rent informally, add an automatic annual increase to the tenancy agreement, or apply a rent-review clause outside that process. A rent increase that does not follow the Section 13 process has no legal effect, so the rent stays the same until a valid notice is served.

The Section 13 notice: form and notice period

To increase the rent, an England landlord must serve a Section 13 notice, using the prescribed form (Form 4A), that states the new rent proposed and the date it would start. The notice must give the tenant at least 2 months from the date it is served before the new rent can begin, and it cannot propose a start date less than 12 months after the tenancy began or after the last increase took effect. The notice can be given in person, by post, or by email if the tenancy agreement allows it. If the tenant does nothing, the rent proposed in the notice takes effect automatically on the date stated. A tenant who wants to dispute the amount, rather than accept it, must apply to the First-tier Tribunal before that date.

The UK rent increase calculator works out the earliest date a section 13 rent increase can start for a private tenancy in England, and shows the rules in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Challenging a rent increase at the tribunal

A tenant who thinks a Section 13 increase is above the open market rent, meaning what the landlord could reasonably charge if reletting the property today, can apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) to decide the rent. Since the Renters' Rights Act 2025 reforms, the Tribunal cannot set a rent higher than the amount the landlord proposed in the notice, only that figure or lower, which removed the previous risk that challenging an increase could leave a tenant paying even more. Any rent the Tribunal sets takes effect from the date of its decision, not from the date in the landlord's original notice, so an increase can no longer be backdated. A landlord cannot evict a tenant for applying to the Tribunal.

Rental bidding is banned

Separately from the Section 13 process, the Renters' Rights Act 2025 bans rental bidding for new lettings in England. A landlord or letting agent must state an asking rent when advertising a property, and cannot ask for, encourage, or accept an offer above that advertised figure from a prospective tenant. This addresses a different problem from an existing tenant's rent increase, properties being bid up in a competitive market before anyone has moved in, but both changes are aimed at giving tenants more predictable, transparent costs.

Rent increases in Wales

Wales runs a different system under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016. A private landlord under a periodic standard occupation contract can increase the rent once a year, either through a rent-variation term already written into the contract or by serving a notice under section 123 of the Act, using the prescribed form RHW12. (Section 104 is the matching rule for secure contracts, which are mostly used by community landlords.) The notice must give the contract-holder at least 2 months' notice, and after the first increase, a new rent cannot take effect less than one year after the last one. If your contract converted on 1 December 2022 from a periodic assured or assured shorthold tenancy, you can apply to a rent assessment committee, run by the Residential Property Tribunal Wales, to determine the rent, within 2 months of receiving the notice. A contract that began on or after 1 December 2022 has no statutory right to a rent determination, so get advice from Shelter Cymru or Citizens Advice. For help, contact Rent Smart Wales or Shelter Cymru. See eviction in Wales for how the same Act governs ending a contract.

Rent increases in Scotland

In Scotland, a landlord with a Private Residential Tenancy can increase the rent once every 12 months, using a rent-increase notice that gives the tenant at least 3 months' notice. If the tenant thinks the new rent is above what the property could reasonably let for on the open market, they can return the notice's response section and ask Rent Service Scotland to check it, applying within 21 days of receiving the notice. The Housing (Scotland) Act 2025 is separately introducing a rent-control framework: from 1 April 2026 councils began assessing rent conditions in their area, and once an area is formally designated a rent-control area, increases there will be capped at CPI plus 1 percentage point (maximum 6%), still only once every 12 months. No area has been designated a rent-control area yet, so this cap does not apply anywhere in Scotland at present. See rent increases in Scotland for the full picture, including how the cap will work once an area is designated.

Rent increases in Northern Ireland

Under the Private Tenancies Act (Northern Ireland) 2022, a landlord cannot increase the rent more than once in any 12-month period, and cannot raise it within the first 12 months of the tenancy. The landlord must give the tenant at least 3 months' written notice of the increase, which can be given by letter, email or text if the tenancy allows it. If a landlord tries to increase the rent again within 12 months of the last increase, the tenant is not legally required to pay the second increase; it has no effect unless and until the 12 months have passed and a fresh, valid notice is given. Get advice from Housing Rights or Citizens Advice if you think a notice does not meet these rules.

Rent increases compared across the UK

This page is general legal information about rent increases in the United Kingdom, verified on 18 July 2026. It is not legal advice, and how it applies to your tenancy depends on your circumstances and where you rent. For advice, contact Shelter, Shelter Cymru, Housing Rights, Citizens Advice, or a solicitor. For the wider picture, see the UK tenant rights hub, the full rent increases in Scotland guide, the Renters' Rights Act 2025 explainer, how eviction works alongside a Section 8 notice, and the United Kingdom law hub.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often can my rent go up in England?

No more than once every 12 months. Your landlord must serve a Section 13 notice giving at least 2 months' notice, and it cannot propose a start date within 12 months of your tenancy beginning or your last increase.

Can my landlord backdate a rent increase?

No. Since the Renters' Rights Act 2025, if the First-tier Tribunal sets your rent, the new figure applies from the date of the Tribunal's decision, not from an earlier date in the landlord's notice.

Can the tribunal set my rent higher than my landlord asked for?

No. Since 1 May 2026, the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) can only set your rent at the figure your landlord proposed or lower, never higher.

What is rental bidding, and is it banned?

Rental bidding is a landlord or agent accepting offers above the advertised rent for a new letting. It is banned in England: they cannot ask for, encourage, or accept a bid above the price they advertised.

How much notice does my landlord need to give in Scotland?

At least 3 months, and no more than once every 12 months. If you think the new rent is above the open market rate, you can ask Rent Service Scotland to check it within 21 days of getting the notice.

Is there a rent cap in Scotland?

Only inside a designated rent-control area, where increases would be capped at CPI plus 1 percentage point (maximum 6%). No areas have been designated yet, so the cap does not currently apply anywhere in Scotland.

How often can my rent increase in Wales?

Once a year, either through a rent-variation clause in your occupation contract or, for a private periodic standard contract, a Section 123 notice giving at least 2 months' notice. If your contract converted on 1 December 2022 from a periodic assured or assured shorthold tenancy, you can apply to a rent assessment committee of the Residential Property Tribunal Wales to determine the rent within 2 months of the notice. A contract that began on or after 1 December 2022 has no statutory right to a rent determination.

How much notice must a landlord give in Northern Ireland?

At least 3 months' written notice, and no more than once in any 12-month period. A second increase within 12 months of the last one has no legal effect, and you are not required to pay it.