Section 13 Rent Reviews 2025: How to Raise Rent Legally Under the Renters' Rights Act

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 has fundamentally changed how landlords in England can increase rent for periodic tenancies. The previous system — under which many tenancies contained rent review clauses, or where landlords could agree informal increases with tenants — has been replaced with a single, statutory mechanism under Section 13 of the Housing Act 1988, as amended. If you want to raise rent on any assured tenancy (which now includes all private rented sector tenancies), Section 13 is the only lawful route. This guide walks through every step of the process, the new 60-day notice requirement, and how to navigate the tribunal if your tenant challenges the proposed increase.

What Is Section 13 and Why Is It Now the Only Route?

Section 13 of the Housing Act 1988 has always permitted landlords to raise rent on statutory periodic tenancies by serving a notice in the prescribed form. Under the old regime, it was one of several mechanisms — landlords could also agree informal increases with tenants, use rent review clauses in fixed-term agreements, or simply issue new fixed-term contracts at a higher rent. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 changed this by abolishing fixed-term tenancies entirely and prohibiting contractual rent review clauses in periodic tenancy agreements. Any clause in a tenancy agreement that purports to increase rent by a fixed amount or percentage at specified intervals is now unenforceable. Only Section 13 applies.

The New 60-Day Notice Requirement

Under the previous rules, landlords were required to give one month's notice of a rent increase on a monthly tenancy. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 has doubled this to a minimum of two months (60 days) for monthly tenancies, and the equivalent proportional increase for weekly and quarterly tenancies. The notice must be in the prescribed form — Form 4 as updated by the Act — and must specify the new rent, the date from which the new rent will apply, and information about the tenant's right to challenge the increase at the First-tier Tribunal.

What Counts as Market Rate?

Section 13 limits rent increases to the open market rental value of the property. You cannot increase rent above the level that an identical, untenanted property would achieve on the open market. The First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) determines market rate when challenged, based on comparable properties in the same locality. Landlords should gather comparable evidence before proposing an increase: Rightmove, Zoopla, and OnTheMarket rental listings for similar-sized properties in the same postcode district, together with any recent lettings evidence from local letting agents.

What the Tribunal Considers as Market Rent Evidence

• Current asking rents for similar properties (same number of bedrooms, similar condition) within 1 mile of the subject property
• Recent agreed rents — properties let within the previous 3 months carry more weight than asking prices
• RICS valuation evidence from a qualified chartered surveyor (carries significant weight at tribunal)
• Local letting agent letters or comparable reports confirming market rent
• Rightmove, Zoopla, or SpareRoom listings with screenshots dated around the time of the proposed review
• Local authority housing allowance (LHA) rates as a floor indicator (market rate should exceed LHA in most areas)

Step-by-Step Section 13 Process

Step 1: Research Comparable Market Rents

Before serving any notice, gather evidence of comparable rents in the local area. The amount you propose should be defensible if the tenant challenges it at tribunal. An unsupported proposal for a large rent increase — even if ultimately justifiable — will be harder to defend without preparation. Aim to have 3 to 5 comparable properties identified.

Step 2: Complete and Serve the Section 13 Notice

Use the prescribed Form 4 (updated for the Renters' Rights Act 2025). Complete all sections including the current rent, the proposed new rent, and the date the new rent will take effect. The effective date must be at least 60 days after the notice is served and must fall on a day that corresponds to the start of a rental period — typically the first day of a month for monthly tenancies. Serve by a method that gives you proof of delivery: email with read receipt, recorded post, or hand delivery with a signed acknowledgment.

Step 3: Monitor the Challenge Window

From the date the notice is received, the tenant has until the effective date specified in the notice to refer the matter to the First-tier Tribunal. If the tenant does not refer within this window, the new rent takes effect automatically on the specified date. If the tenant does refer, the rent increase is stayed pending the tribunal's determination.

Step 4: Attend or Prepare for Tribunal (If Challenged)

If the tenant challenges the proposed rent at the First-tier Tribunal, both parties are invited to submit evidence and attend a hearing. The tribunal is inquisitorial — a legally qualified tribunal judge and a member with property valuation expertise will assess the evidence. The tribunal cannot set rent above what you proposed, but it can reduce it. Bring all your comparable evidence, organised and clearly cross-referenced. If the tribunal sets a lower rent than you proposed but higher than the current rent, the higher tribunal-determined rate applies from the effective date in your original notice.

What Happens If the Landlord and Tenant Cannot Agree?

The tribunal is the mechanism for resolving disagreements — there is no requirement for the parties to agree. However, it is worth attempting informal negotiation before any challenge is formally lodged. Many disputes are resolved by a landlord adjusting their proposed increase to a more moderate figure in response to the tenant's concerns, avoiding the cost and time of a formal hearing for both sides. If the tenant does not challenge within the referral window and does not pay the new rent from the effective date, the increased amount becomes a debt, recoverable as rent arrears.

Common Mistakes Landlords Make Under Section 13

Frequently Asked Questions