How often can a landlord increase rent?

How often can a landlord increase rent in England? At most once a year, using a Section 13 notice on Form 4A. The first increase can't start until 52 weeks after the tenancy began, and each later increase must start at least 52 weeks after the last one took effect, or 53 weeks in some cases.

Can a landlord increase rent every year?

Yes, a landlord can increase rent every year, provided each increase goes through the Section 13 process. Since 1 May 2026 that's the only route for a private assured tenancy. Rent review clauses have no effect, and the tenant agreeing isn't enough on its own. GOV.UK says "You need to follow the section 13 process every time you increase the rent".

Each increase needs:

• a fresh Form 4A, served at least two months before the new rent starts;
• a start date at least 52 weeks after the last increase took effect (or 53 weeks, see below);
• a start date on the first day of a rent period.

These rules are for England. Wales (Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016), Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own law.

When can a landlord increase the rent for the first time?

Not in the first year. The first increase can't start until 52 weeks after the first period of the tenancy began (s.13(2)(b)). GOV.UK puts it simply: "You will not be able to increase the rent in the first year of the tenancy."

Example. A monthly tenancy begins on Monday 1 June 2026, with rent due on the 1st.

• 52 weeks from 1 June 2026 is Monday 31 May 2027.
• The new rent must start on a rent day, so the earliest start is Tuesday 1 June 2027.
• To start the increase then, serve Form 4A on or before 1 April 2027.

For a tenancy that was an assured shorthold before 1 May 2026, the clock runs from when the tenancy actually began, not from 1 May 2026.

The 52-week rule for later increases

After the first increase, each new rent must start at least 52 weeks after the last increase took effect. The clock runs from the date the last new rent actually started, not the date you served the notice for it.

Example. A monthly tenancy has rent due on the 20th. The last increase took effect on 20 January 2027.

• 52 weeks from 20 January 2027 is Wednesday 19 January 2028.
• The next rent day is the 20th, so the earliest next increase is Thursday 20 January 2028.
• Serve Form 4A on or before 20 November 2027.

If the tenant challenged the last increase and the tribunal moved its start date, use the date the increase actually took effect.

When you have to wait 53 weeks

Fifty-two weeks is 364 days, a day short of a calendar year (two days in a leap year). On a tenancy where each increase starts exactly 52 weeks after the last, the date creeps earlier each year. The 53-week rule stops that drift.

Where the 52-week date would fall more than six days before the anniversary of the first increase made after 11 February 2003, you must wait 53 weeks instead (s.13(3A)–(3B); Form 4A Note A3 and question 4.4).

Weekly example. The first increase after 11 February 2003 took effect on Monday 2 January 2023, and the rent has gone up every 52 weeks since.

Increase	Date (Mondays)	Days before the 2 January anniversary
2024	1 January 2024	1
2025	30 December 2024	3
2026	29 December 2025	4
2027	28 December 2026	5
2028	27 December 2027	6
2029, at 52 weeks	25 December 2028	8: too early
2029, at 53 weeks	1 January 2029	1

On monthly tenancies the first-day-of-period rule pulls the date back to the same rent day each year, so the 53-week rule is unlikely to apply. On weekly and fortnightly tenancies, check it every time.

Increases made before 1 May 2026

The once-a-year rule looks back past 1 May 2026:

• A rent review clause increase that took effect before 1 May 2026 stays valid, and it starts the 52-week clock. A Section 13 notice can't propose a rent starting within 52 weeks of it.
• A Form 4 increase that took effect before 1 May 2026 also starts the clock. A Form 4 served before 1 May 2026 carries on under the old rules.
• An increase agreed before 1 May 2026 but due to take effect afterwards does not apply. GOV.UK: "the increase will not apply". You need Form 4A.

Example. A clause raised the rent on 1 April 2026, on a monthly tenancy due on the 1st. Fifty-two weeks later is 31 March 2027, so the earliest Section 13 increase starts on 1 April 2027. Read more on rent review clauses.

Quick reference: how often can a landlord increase rent?

Situation	Earliest new rent can start
First increase	52 weeks after the tenancy's first period began, on the next rent day
Later increase	52 weeks after the last increase took effect, on the next rent day
52-week date more than 6 days before the anniversary of the first post-February 2003 increase	53 weeks after the last increase
Clause or Form 4 increase before 1 May 2026	52 weeks after that increase took effect
In every case	Also at least two months after you serve Form 4A

The Section 13 date calculator applies all of these at once. For how the two-month notice interacts with the rent day, see rent increase notice periods.

What to do next

• Create your Form 4A with the once-a-year rule checked, free with a ValidNotice account, from the Section 13 notice page.
• Before you pick a figure, read how much a landlord can increase rent.