Section 13 Notice Explained

What is a Section 13 notice?

A Section 13 notice — formally called a Form 4A prescribed notice — is the legal mechanism a landlord must use to propose a rent increase on a periodic assured tenancy in England. The name comes from Section 13 of the Housing Act 1988, which governs how landlords can change the rent.

From 1 May 2026, under the Renters' Rights Act, all tenancies in England that were previously assured shorthold tenancies automatically become periodic assured tenancies. This means the Section 13 notice procedure applies to virtually all private rented properties in England.

When can a landlord issue a Section 13 notice?

A landlord can only serve a Section 13 notice once in any 12-month period. They cannot increase the rent more frequently than this, regardless of what any tenancy agreement says. The 12-month period is counted from the date the last rent increase took effect — not from when the previous notice was served.

There is no minimum tenancy length before the first notice can be served, but the notice must give the tenant at least two months' warning before the new rent takes effect.

What counts as a valid notice?

The notice must be in the prescribed form — Form 4A. Verbal requests, informal letters, emails, and WhatsApp messages do not count. A landlord who attempts to increase the rent without serving a valid Form 4A has not lawfully changed the rent, even if the tenant starts paying the higher amount.

The form must be served correctly. In most cases this means posting it to the property address or delivering it by hand. The date of service matters because the two months' notice period starts from that date.

The two months' notice rule

Once a valid Form 4A is served, the proposed new rent cannot take effect for at least two calendar months. The notice must also specify the date from which the new rent is proposed to start — and that date must fall on the first day of a period of the tenancy (for weekly or monthly tenancies, this usually means the same day of the week or month as the tenancy started).

If the notice is invalid for any reason — wrong form, insufficient notice period, wrong start date — the rent increase does not take effect. The landlord would need to serve a fresh, valid notice.

What happens if a tenant disagrees with the proposed rent?

If a tenant believes the proposed rent is above market rent, they can refer the Form 4A notice to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) before the new rent is due to start. The tribunal will consider comparable lettings evidence and decide what the market rent for the property actually is.

The tribunal cannot set a rent higher than the figure the landlord proposed. Whatever the tribunal decides becomes the rent that applies from the date specified in the notice.

For a detailed walkthrough of how to challenge a rent increase, see our guide: How to challenge a rent increase →

Can a landlord withdraw a Section 13 notice?

Yes — a landlord can withdraw a notice before the new rent takes effect, with the tenant's agreement. If the tenant has already referred the notice to the tribunal, the landlord would need to apply to the tribunal to withdraw it. Once the new rent has taken effect, the notice is spent and cannot be withdrawn.

What the proposed rent must reflect

The proposed rent must reflect what the property could achieve on the open market — the market rent. Landlords who propose a figure significantly above market rent risk having the tribunal set a lower rent than they were seeking. Strong comparable evidence, gathered before the notice is served, helps both sides understand whether a proposed figure is supportable.

To understand how market rent is determined, see our guide: What is market rent? →