In one landlord-group thread, a landlord proposed a rent rise, the tenant challenged it, and the tribunal set a figure well below what the landlord had asked. The thread filled up fast: "Can they do that?" Since 1 May 2026, yes.
What changed
Under the Renters' Rights Act, rent reviews written into tenancy agreements no longer work. There's now one way to raise rent in England:
- Use the government's Form 4A (a Section 13 notice).
- Give at least 2 months' notice.
- Raise it no more than once a year.
The tenant can challenge the rise at the First-tier Tribunal before it starts. The tribunal decides the open-market rent, and for notices served since 1 May 2026, it can't set it higher than you asked, but it can set it lower. The new rent normally starts from the rent period after the decision, not from the date in your notice.
The rule in 30 seconds
- Form 4A, 2 months' notice, once a year.
- A wrong form or short notice means the rise doesn't happen.
- Tribunal: can agree, or set lower. Never higher than you proposed.
How to get it right
Before you raise the rent
- Check the date of the last increase. A year must have passed.
- Look up 3 to 5 similar homes nearby (same size, same condition) and save the links with dates.
- Ask for market rent, not hope rent. A fair figure is less likely to be challenged.
- Talk to the tenant first. A short, friendly message explaining why goes a long way.
- Use the latest Form 4A from GOV.UK, fill in every box, and keep proof of when you served it.
- Diary next year's date straight away.
A good tenant at a fair rent often beats an empty month at a higher one. The landlords who do best here treat a rent review as a conversation, backed by evidence.
How Lordease helps
Rent and tenancy dates are kept for every tenant, and the legal checklist reminds you when a rent review is allowed.