Form 4A Section 13 Rent Increase Notice (post-RRA 2026)
From 1 May 2026 in England, the only valid way to increase rent on an Assured Periodic Tenancy is to serve a Form 4A notice under section 13 of the Housing Act 1988. The old Form 4 is no longer valid. Our UK template tracks the prescribed structure, preserves the operative First-tier Tribunal challenge wording verbatim, and includes a compliance audit, comparable rent evidence schedule and joint-landlord handling.
At: Flat 4, 27 Acacia Gardens, Battersea, London SW11 6FT
This notice is served on you under section 13(2) of the Housing Act 1988. It proposes a new rent for your assured periodic tenancy. Please read this notice carefully and the prescribed information about your right to challenge the proposed rent at the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber). You should keep this notice safe — you may need it later.
1.3 Email: c.whitmore@btinternet.com
1.4 Telephone: 020 8940 7283
1.6 Address for service of notices on the Landlord under s.48 Landlord and Tenant Act 1985: 8 Beaumont Avenue, Richmond TW10 6LB.
2.2 Tenant(s): Olivia Grace Mitchell and Daniel James Reeves. (Names must match the tenancy agreement exactly; joint tenants must all be named.)
2.3 Tenancy started on: 2024-09-01. This is an assured periodic tenancy to which Part I of the Housing Act 1988 applies.
3.2 Proposed new rent: £1,950.00 per calendar month.
3.3 The proposed new rent will take effect from: 2026-09-01. The effective date is the first day of a rent period and falls at least two months after the date this notice is served (s.13(2) HA 1988).
3.4 There has been no previous rent increase; the tenancy began at least 52 weeks before the proposed effective date.
If you do not agree with the proposed new rent, you can apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber — Residential Property) to decide what a reasonable rent for the property would be in the open market. You must apply before the date on which the new rent is proposed to take effect (the date in paragraph 3.3 above).
You must use Form RR1 to make the application. The form is available from the Tribunal's website at www.gov.uk/housing-tribunals/challenging-rent-increase. There is no fee to apply.
If you apply to the Tribunal, the Tribunal will decide what the open-market rent for your property would be. If the Tribunal decides on a lower figure, that figure will be the rent payable from the date this notice proposed the new rent would take effect (or any later date the Tribunal directs). The Tribunal cannot decide on a figure higher than the new rent proposed in this notice.
If you do not apply to the Tribunal by that date, the proposed new rent in paragraph 3.2 above will be payable from the date in paragraph 3.3.
You may wish to take independent advice (for example, from Citizens Advice, Shelter, your local Council's tenancy relations officer, or a solicitor) before deciding whether to apply to the Tribunal.
1. 52-week tenancy duration check (Renters' Rights Act 2024 condition): CONFIRMED — the tenancy began at least 52 weeks before the proposed effective date.
2. 12-month gap check: NOT APPLICABLE — this is the first rent increase under this tenancy.
3. First-day-of-rent-period check: CONFIRMED — the effective date falls on the first day of a rent period.
No previous rent increase. Tenancy commenced 1 September 2024 at £1,850.00 per calendar month.
Comparable open-market rent evidence (for the Landlord's records and any First-tier Tribunal proceedings — three comparable properties is the usual minimum):
1. Flat 12, 34 Acacia Gardens, Battersea SW11 6FT — two bedrooms, similar size and finish, currently let at £1,975 per calendar month (Foxtons listing ref FX2026-4421, June 2026).
2. Apartment 6, 18 Wisteria Court, Battersea SW11 7BH — two bedrooms, balcony, let April 2026 at £2,020 per calendar month (Hamptons letting record).
3. Flat 8, 41 Acacia Gardens, Battersea SW11 6FT — two bedrooms, identical layout, let March 2026 at £1,975 per calendar month (Knight Frank letting record).
This evidence may be relied on if the tenant applies to the Tribunal under Form RR1. The Tribunal applies an open-market test (s.14 HA 1988): what the property might reasonably be expected to be let for on the open market by a willing landlord, taking into account improvements made by the tenant other than under any obligation.
From 1 September 2026, please pay £1,950.00 by standing order on the 1st of each month to: account name "Whitmore Property Letting", sort code 20-92-46, account number 81234572. Standing-order reference: ACACIA-4.
Tenant Fees Act 2019: no fee or surcharge may be charged for or in connection with the variation of rent under this notice.
What Is a Form 4A Section 13 Rent Increase Notice?
Form 4A is the prescribed UK notice that a landlord must use to propose a new rent for an Assured Periodic Tenancy under section 13(2) of the Housing Act 1988. It replaced the old Form 4 under the Renters' Rights Act 2024 commencement regulations and is the only valid method for landlords in England to increase rent under a statutory periodic assured tenancy from 1 May 2026 onwards.
Form 4A is a strictly prescribed form. Its core content — including the operative wording informing the tenant of their right to challenge the proposed rent at the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) — cannot be altered, abbreviated or substituted with a letter or email. A rent increase notice that is not on the prescribed Form 4A is likely to be invalid under English housing law, and the proposed new rent will not become payable.
The Form 4A regime applies to standard Assured Periodic Tenancies across England. It does not apply to four categories: high-rent tenancies (annual rent above £100,000); lodger / Rent a Room arrangements; lettings to companies; or Rent Act 1977 regulated tenancies. For these, alternative rent-review mechanisms (contractual or statutory) apply outside the post-RRA 2026 framework.
What's Covered in This Template
Our UK Form 4A template tracks the prescribed structure and preserves the operative Tribunal-challenge wording verbatim.
Prescribed Form 4A Structure
Tracks the statutory layout: landlord details, property and tenant details, current and proposed rent, effective date, and the prescribed tenant rights statement.
Tribunal Challenge Wording
The operative wording informing the tenant of their right to apply to the First-tier Tribunal under Form RR1, included verbatim and unalterable.
Section 48 LTA 1985 Address
Landlord's address for service of notices under section 48 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 — a UK statutory requirement.
Joint Landlords / Agent
Multi-landlord handling (all sign vs authorised one) and letting-agent serving on behalf of landlord — both supported.
Tenancy Type Verification
Confirms the tenancy is a standard Assured Periodic Tenancy and warns where it may fall outside the Form 4A regime (high rent, lodger, company, Rent Act 1977).
Compliance Audit (Expert)
Self-audit clauses confirming the four post-RRA 2026 conditions: 52-week tenancy duration, 12-month gap since last increase, effective date = first day of rent period, eligible tenancy.
Past Increase Chronology
Optional history of past rent increases to evidence compliance with the 12-month gap rule.
Comparable Market Evidence
Three-property comparable rent schedule for First-tier Tribunal defence under section 14 Housing Act 1988 (open-market test).
Service Method Certification
Method of service (post, recorded delivery, hand delivery, email, left at property) with section 196 Law of Property Act 1925 deemed-service rules.
Pet Right Note (RRA 2026)
Optional context note on the new tenant statutory right to keep a pet under the Renters' Rights Act 2024, in force across England from 1 May 2026.
Payment Details Change
New standing-order details from the effective date, with Tenant Fees Act 2019 compliance (no fee permitted for the notice or the variation).
FTT Challenge Process Explainer
Detailed explanation of the tenant's Form RR1 challenge route — Tribunal's s.14 HA 1988 open-market test, 28-day appeal right, no fee.
How to Create a Form 4A Section 13 Rent Increase Notice
Follow these steps to serve a valid UK Form 4A notice.
- 1
Verify Eligibility
Confirm the tenancy is a standard Assured Periodic Tenancy in England (not lodger, company, Rent Act 1977 regulated, or high-rent above £100,000/year). Confirm the tenancy began at least 52 weeks before the proposed effective date and that any previous rent increase took effect at least 12 months ago.
- 2
Enter the Landlord and Tenant Details
Provide the landlord name (matching the tenancy agreement exactly), s.48 address for service, and (if applicable) joint landlord names. Enter the tenant name(s) exactly as on the tenancy agreement — joint tenants must all be named. Where a letting agent serves the notice, record the agent's details.
- 3
Calculate the Effective Date
The proposed effective date must (a) be at least 2 months after the date of service; (b) fall on the first day of a rent period (counting from the original tenancy start); (c) be at least 12 months after any previous rent increase effective date; and (d) leave the tenancy at least 52 weeks old. Any failure invalidates the notice in English law.
- 4
Enter Rent Details
Provide the current rent (per the rent period — weekly/monthly/quarterly/yearly), the proposed new rent, and the rent period. The template auto-formats the amounts in pounds sterling and confirms the period explanation in the body.
- 5
Add Expert Compliance + Evidence (recommended)
In Expert mode, complete the compliance audit (52-week, 12-month, first-day-of-period), past increase chronology, reasons for the proposed increase, and three comparable rents from local market evidence. Specify service method, joint-landlord signature basis, and include the FTT challenge process explainer. Download as PDF and serve on the tenant by your chosen method.
Legal Considerations
Form 4A is a strictly prescribed UK statutory notice. Defects in form or timing routinely invalidate notices and prevent any rent increase from taking effect.
This template is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Consult a qualified UK solicitor or letting professional for advice specific to your situation.
Reviewed for English law
Prescribed Form — Mountain v Hastings Strict Compliance
In Mountain v Hastings [1993] 25 HLR 427, the Court of Appeal confirmed that statutory housing notices in England must follow the prescribed words of the schedule. A notice that omits or alters the prescribed Tribunal challenge statement is unlikely to be valid. The Renters' Rights Act 2024 commencement regulations introduced Form 4A as the new prescribed form from 1 May 2026, replacing the former Form 4. The 2020 Court of Appeal decision in Pease v Carter [2020] EWCA Civ 175 provides a limited "saving" construction for minor errors where the tenant has not been misled, but landlords should not rely on it as a workaround.
Section 13 Conditions — All Four Must Be Met
Under section 13 Housing Act 1988 as amended by the Renters' Rights Act 2024, a Form 4A notice must satisfy four cumulative conditions: (1) at least 2 months' notice from service to effective date; (2) the effective date falls on the first day of a rent period; (3) rent must not have been increased in the previous 12 months; and (4) the tenancy must have begun at least 52 weeks before the proposed effective date. Any failure invalidates the notice. The template includes a self-audit clause for each of these conditions in Expert mode.
Tenant Challenge at the First-tier Tribunal
A tenant in England who disagrees with the proposed rent has the right to apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber — Residential Property) using Form RR1 before the effective date. The Tribunal applies the section 14 Housing Act 1988 open-market test: what the property might reasonably be expected to be let for on the open market by a willing landlord, disregarding any improvements made by the tenant other than under an obligation. The Tribunal cannot decide on a figure higher than the rent proposed in the notice, but can lower it. Comparable open-market rent evidence (typically three comparable properties) is the standard form of Tribunal defence.
Service and Tenant Fees Act 2019
Service of the notice must use a permitted method. Section 196 of the Law of Property Act 1925 (or the service clause in the tenancy agreement) sets the deemed-service rules — first-class post and "left at the property" are deemed received the working day after; recorded delivery is effective on signed receipt; email is valid only where the tenancy agreement permits. The Tenant Fees Act 2019 prohibits any fee or surcharge in connection with the rent increase. The landlord must also have complied with deposit protection rules and have an EPC, gas safety certificate and electrical safety report in force where required — the FTT may consider any breach if challenged.
Frequently Asked Questions
Serve a Valid UK Form 4A Notice Now
Use our free post-RRA 2026 template to draft a compliant Section 13 Form 4A rent increase notice for an English Assured Periodic Tenancy. Includes the prescribed Tribunal challenge wording, compliance audit, and comparable market evidence schedule.
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