Form 4A is the only legal way a landlord in England can raise your rent from 1 May 2026. If they used a different method, a clause in your contract, an email, a letter they drafted themselves , the increase may not be enforceable. Here’s what you need to know.
The short version
Before 1 May 2026, landlords had several ways to increase your rent: they could rely on a rent review clause in your tenancy agreement, renew your tenancy at a higher figure, or send an informal written notice. Most tenancy agreements included a clause saying something like “rent will be reviewed annually” or “rent increases by 3% each April.” Those clauses had legal force.
From 1 May 2026, those contractual rent review clauses no longer have any legal effect. If your landlord wants to increase your rent, there is now a single lawful route: the Section 13 procedure, using the prescribed Form 4A.
That’s a significant change. It means any landlord who raises your rent by any other method, including a clause in a tenancy agreement you both signed, is not following the law.
What is Form 4A exactly?
Form 4A is the official government form titled “Landlord’s notice proposing a new rent for assured tenancies in the private rented sector.” It is published under the Housing Act 1988, Section 13(2), as amended by the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. It is for use in the private rented sector in England only.
It is published by the government and available to download from GOV.UK free of charge. It replaces Form 4, which applied under the pre-Act rules. The form cannot be substituted.
In plain English: your landlord must use this exact official form. They cannot use their own template, a letter, or an email even if that email contains all the same information.
What must a valid Form 4A contain?
A correctly completed Form 4A must include the address of the property, the name of the landlord and tenant matching the tenancy agreement exactly, the existing rent, the proposed new rent, and the date on which the new rent is proposed to take effect. The form also includes a statement informing the tenant of their right to apply to the First-tier Tribunal if they wish to challenge the proposed rent. This statement is part of the prescribed form and must not be removed or altered.
The notice must also satisfy three timing rules simultaneously. The proposed start date must fall at least two months after the date of service, at least 52 weeks since the last increase, and on the first day of a new rental period. Get any of these wrong and the notice is defective.
What makes a Form 4A invalid?
A Form 4A notice will not be valid if: the notice was served using the old Form 4 or any other document after 1 May 2026; the proposed effective date does not fall on the first day of a rent period; fewer than two months’ notice was given from the date of service; the names on the form do not match the tenancy agreement; the rent was last increased fewer than 12 months before the proposed effective date; or the tenancy began fewer than 52 weeks before the proposed effective date. An invalid notice has no legal effect. The tenant is not obliged to pay the proposed new rent, and the landlord must start the process again.
One point worth highlighting: email is not valid service unless you have specifically agreed in writing that your landlord can serve legal notices by email. Email is not valid service for a Section 13 notice unless the tenant has given written agreement that email service is accepted. Default to first-class post or in-person delivery.
If your landlord emailed you a Form 4A without that prior written agreement, the notice may not have been validly served — even if the form itself is correct.
How can you challenge it?
This is where the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 made its most important change for tenants.
Under the old rules, challenging a rent increase at the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) carried a real risk: the Tribunal could set a rent higher than what your landlord proposed. That risk, combined with Section 21 retaliation, stopped most tenants from ever challenging. Under the new rules, the Tribunal cannot set a rent higher than the amount the landlord proposed in the notice. This protection was introduced specifically to encourage tenants to challenge increases they consider above market rate without fear of the rent going up further.
There is also no backdating. Rent stays frozen at the old figure during the entire challenge period, with no backdating. If the Tribunal takes several months to reach a decision, you continue paying your old rent the whole time.
The fee to challenge is £47, with no additional hearing fee. A Help with Fees scheme is available for those who cannot afford the fee.
To summarise what challenging now looks like:
- Cost to you: £47 (or free if you qualify for Help with Fees)
- Risk of rent going higher: Zero – the Tribunal can only confirm or reduce
- Rent during the process: Frozen at your current rate, no backdating
- Retaliation risk: Gone – Section 21 no-fault eviction is abolished
What to do if you’ve received a Form 4A
Step 1: Check the form is actually Form 4A. The official form is nine pages, published on GOV.UK, and marked with the Housing Act 1988 reference. If your landlord sent you a letter, an email, or a document that doesn’t look like the official form, it may not be valid.
Step 2: Check the timing. Count from the date you received the notice. You must have at least two full months before the proposed start date. Check that the start date falls on the first day of your rental period (usually the same day of the month your rent is due).
Step 3: Check the frequency. A landlord may only increase rent once in any twelve month period. The twelve month restriction runs from the date the last increase took effect, not from the date the previous notice was served.
Step 4: Check whether the proposed rent is above market rate. The Tribunal assesses market rent based on comparable properties in your area. If your landlord is proposing a rent significantly above what similar properties nearby are letting for, you have grounds to challenge.
Step 5: If you want to challenge, act before the effective date. Once the effective date stated on the Form 4A passes without a challenge, the new rent takes effect automatically. You must apply to the Tribunal before that date.
How RentVerify can help
RentVerify checks your proposed rent against ONS Private Rental Market Statistics for your postcode — the same data source the Tribunal uses as a benchmark. If your proposed increase is above the local market rate, you’ll see exactly how far above it is, and you can generate a Rents 1 supporting statement for the First-tier Tribunal for £4.99.
You do not need a solicitor. The process is designed to be self-serve.
Check my rent increase — free, takes 2 minutes →
This article is for general information only. RentVerify is an information tool and is not regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Nothing in this article constitutes legal advice. If you need advice specific to your circumstances, consult a qualified solicitor or contact Shelter England on 0808 800 4444.