For private renters in England only. Guidance only, not legal advice.

Form 4A examples: rent increase notices checked

Checked against legislation.gov.uk and GOV.UK on 8 October 2026. England only. Guidance only, not legal advice.

On this page are twelve made-up rent increase notices, each checked against the rules a Form 4A has to follow in England since 1 May 2026. Some pass, some fail and some need a closer look. Every name, rent and date is invented. Reading them side by side shows how the rules work in practice, so you can spot the same pattern in your own notice.

The free checker does the same date sums for your own notice. You type in the dates from your Form 4A and your tenancy agreement, and it shows which rules look met, with the law for each one.

These are examples, not advice. Your notice may differ in ways that matter. If an example looks like your situation, work through it again with your own dates and facts, and put anything you write in your own words. We never fill in, sign, send or file anything for anyone. These examples are for private renters in England only. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have different rules.

How to read the examples

Each example has the same four parts:

  • The facts: the dates and details a tenant would find on their notice and in their tenancy agreement, and the day they check it.
  • Checker result: what the checker says for those facts. "Looks valid" means the notice passes the rules the checker tests. "Looks invalid" means at least one rule fails. "Needs checking" means the notice passes the rules the checker tests, but something needs a closer look, such as a fact the checker cannot see or a deadline that has already passed. "Not covered by the checker" means other rules apply.
  • Problem or To check: the rules that failed, or that need a closer look.
  • Why: the rule in its own words, the sums and what the tenant could do next.

The sums follow the law and Form 4A. A month is a calendar month, so two months after 10 July is 10 September. Fifty-two weeks is 364 days, one day short of a normal year and two days short of a year that includes 29 February. Fifty-three weeks is 371 days. "Looks valid" is not the same as "the rent is fair": that is a separate question for the tribunal.

A section 13 notice is the formal rent increase notice. Since 1 May 2026 that is Form 4A.

The examples at a glance

  1. A monthly notice that follows the rules
  2. Less than two months' notice
  3. The new rent starts on the wrong day of the month
  4. Too soon after the tenancy started
  5. The 53-week rule makes the start date too early
  6. A weekly tenancy, starting on the right weekday
  7. A rent review clause instead of a notice
  8. A letter instead of Form 4A
  9. A Form 4A sent by WhatsApp
  10. A Form 4A with no signature
  11. The start date has already passed
  12. An old Form 4 served before 1 May 2026

Example 1: A monthly notice that follows the rules

Made-up example: a yearly increase on the same date as last year, with more than two months' notice.

The facts

  • Priya rents a flat in England from a private landlord.
  • Her monthly tenancy started on 1 September 2021, and each rent period starts on the 1st of the month.
  • Question 4.4 of the notice gives the date of her first rent increase after 11 February 2003: 1 September 2022.
  • Her last rent increase took effect on 1 September 2025, after a formal rent increase notice (a section 13 notice) from her landlord.
  • Her landlord handed her a signed Form 4A on 12 June 2026. It gives the landlord's name and address and Priya's correct name and address.
  • It proposes £1,210 a month instead of £1,150, starting on 1 September 2026.
  • Priya checks the notice on 15 June 2026.

Checker result: Looks valid

  • No problems found on the rules the checker tests.

Why

Every timing rule is met. Two months after 12 June 2026 is 12 August 2026, so the notice period is long enough. The new rent starts on the 1st, the first day of one of Priya's rent periods. Her last increase took effect on 1 September 2025, and 52 weeks later is 31 August 2026. Form 4A Note A says the new rent date "cannot be more than 6 days before the anniversary" of the date at question 4.4. That anniversary is 1 September 2026, only one day later, so 52 weeks are enough.

A valid notice is not the same as a fair rent. If Priya thinks £1,210 is more than similar homes let for, she can apply to the tribunal before 1 September 2026.

Example 2: Less than two months' notice

Made-up example: the new rent would start nine days before two full months have passed.

The facts

  • Tom rents a house in England from a private landlord.
  • His monthly tenancy started on 1 February 2024, and each rent period starts on the 1st of the month.
  • His rent has not gone up before.
  • His landlord handed him a signed Form 4A on 10 July 2026. It gives the landlord's name and address and Tom's correct name and address.
  • It proposes £1,050 a month instead of £975, starting on 1 September 2026.
  • Tom checks the notice on 13 July 2026.

Checker result: Looks invalid

  • Problem: Less than two months' notice

Why

Section 13(2)(a) says the new rent cannot start earlier than "two months after the date of the service of the notice". In law a month means a calendar month, so a notice handed over on 10 July 2026 cannot start a new rent before 10 September 2026. This one says 1 September 2026. Because Tom's rent periods start on the 1st, the earliest date that meets both rules would have been 1 October 2026.

Tom could keep paying £975, write down when and how he got the notice and ask Shelter, Citizens Advice or a law centre before he treats it as invalid. If he wants the tribunal to look at it, the tribunal has to receive his application before 1 September 2026.

Legal basis: Housing Act 1988, section 13(2)(a); Form 4A (GOV.UK, version 05.26), Note A; Interpretation Act 1978, Schedule 1 ("Month" means calendar month)

Example 3: The new rent starts on the wrong day of the month

Made-up example: the rent periods run from the 20th, but the notice picks the 1st.

The facts

  • Amira rents a flat in England from a private landlord.
  • Her monthly tenancy started on 20 April 2024, and each rent period starts on the 20th of the month.
  • Her rent has not gone up before.
  • Her landlord handed her a signed Form 4A on 3 August 2026. It gives the landlord's name and address and Amira's correct name and address.
  • It proposes £1,495 a month instead of £1,400, starting on 1 November 2026.
  • Amira checks the notice on 5 August 2026.

Checker result: Looks invalid

  • Problem: Does not start at the beginning of a rent period

Why

Section 13(2) says the new rent takes effect "at the beginning of a new period of the tenancy". Form 4A gives almost this exact case: "if a monthly tenancy starts on the 20th of April, the new rent must start on the 20th day of the month when the increase begins". Amira's rent periods start on the 20th, so 1 November 2026 falls in the middle of a period. The notice gives enough time and comes well over 52 weeks after the tenancy began. The start day is the problem.

Amira could keep paying £1,400, check her tenancy agreement for the day each rent period starts and talk to an adviser. Any tribunal application has to arrive before 1 November 2026.

Legal basis: Form 4A (GOV.UK, version 05.26), Note A; Housing Act 1988, section 13

Example 4: Too soon after the tenancy started

Made-up example: the tenancy would be less than 52 weeks old when the new rent starts.

The facts

  • Daniel rents a flat in England from a private landlord.
  • His monthly tenancy started on 1 December 2025, and each rent period starts on the 1st of the month.
  • His rent has not gone up before.
  • His landlord handed him a signed Form 4A on 25 August 2026. It gives the landlord's name and address and Daniel's correct name and address.
  • It proposes £1,125 a month instead of £1,050, starting on 1 November 2026.
  • Daniel checks the notice on 27 August 2026.

Checker result: Looks invalid

  • Problem: Too soon after your tenancy started

Why

The first increase in a tenancy cannot start before "the date that falls 52 weeks after the date on which the first period of the tenancy began" (section 13(2)(b)). Fifty-two weeks is 364 days, so for a tenancy that began on 1 December 2025 that date is 30 November 2026. The notice says 1 November 2026, a month too early. The notice period and the day of the month are both fine. Because the new rent also has to start at the beginning of a rent period, the earliest workable date was 1 December 2026.

Daniel could keep paying £1,050 and ask an adviser before he treats the notice as invalid. Any tribunal application has to arrive before 1 November 2026.

Legal basis: Housing Act 1988, section 13(2)(b); Form 4A (GOV.UK, version 05.26), Note A

Example 5: The 53-week rule makes the start date too early

Made-up example: fifty-two weeks have passed since the last increase, but the landlord had to wait 53.

The facts

  • Grace rents a house in England from a private landlord.
  • Her monthly tenancy started on 1 October 2015, and each rent period starts on the 1st of the month.
  • Question 4.4 of the notice gives the date of her first rent increase after 11 February 2003: 1 October 2016.
  • Her last rent increase took effect on 1 September 2025, after a formal rent increase notice (a section 13 notice) from her landlord.
  • Her landlord handed her a signed Form 4A on 15 June 2026. It gives the landlord's name and address and Grace's correct name and address.
  • It proposes £1,375 a month instead of £1,300, starting on 1 September 2026.
  • Grace checks the notice on 18 June 2026.

Checker result: Looks invalid

  • Problem: Too soon after your last increase

Why

Fifty-two weeks after 1 September 2025 is 31 August 2026, so at first sight 1 September 2026 looks fine. But Form 4A Note A says the new rent date "cannot be more than 6 days before the anniversary of the date given in question 4.4. If it would be, the landlord must wait an extra week (53 weeks in total)". The anniversary of 1 October 2016 is 1 October 2026, which is 31 days after 31 August 2026. So 53 weeks apply and the earliest date is 7 September 2026. With rent periods that start on the 1st, the earliest workable date was 1 October 2026.

This rule is easy to miss. Grace could keep paying £1,300 and take the notice and her rent history to an adviser. Any tribunal application has to arrive before 1 September 2026.

Legal basis: Housing Act 1988, section 13(2)(c) and (3A) to (3B); Form 4A (GOV.UK, version 05.26), Note A

Example 6: A weekly tenancy, starting on the right weekday

Made-up example: a weekly rent that changes on a Monday, the day each rent period starts.

The facts

  • Kwame rents a flat in England from a private landlord.
  • His weekly tenancy started on Monday 6 January 2025, and each rent period starts on a Monday.
  • His rent has not gone up before.
  • His landlord handed him a signed Form 4A on Friday 3 July 2026. It gives the landlord's name and address and Kwame's correct name and address.
  • It proposes £300 a week instead of £280, starting on Monday 7 September 2026.
  • Kwame checks the notice on 6 July 2026.

Checker result: Looks valid

  • No problems found on the rules the checker tests.

Why

Form 4A's own example covers this: "if a weekly tenancy started on a Monday, the new rent must begin on a Monday". Kwame's tenancy began on a Monday and 7 September 2026 is a Monday, so the new rent starts at the beginning of a rent period. Two months after 3 July 2026 is 3 September 2026, so the notice period is long enough. The tenancy began more than 52 weeks before the start date and there has been no earlier increase.

The notice looks valid on these points. Whether £300 a week is the right rent is a separate question. If Kwame thinks similar homes let for less, he can apply to the tribunal before 7 September 2026.

Example 7: A rent review clause instead of a notice

Made-up example: the letting agent relies on a clause in the tenancy agreement and sends no Form 4A.

The facts

  • Ellie rents a flat in England from a private landlord.
  • Her monthly tenancy started on 1 November 2025, and each rent period starts on the 1st of the month.
  • Her tenancy agreement has a clause saying the rent goes up by 3% on each anniversary of the tenancy.
  • Her rent has not gone up before.
  • On 4 September 2026 the letting agent emailed her to say that, under the clause, her rent would go from £1,200 to £1,236 a month on 1 November 2026.
  • There is no Form 4A.
  • Ellie checks on 7 September 2026.

Checker result: Looks invalid

  • Problem: A clause in your tenancy agreement cannot raise your rent

Why

Since 1 May 2026 the rent can only go up through a formal notice under section 13 (Form 4A), a tribunal decision or an agreement that follows one of those. Section 13(4A) says any term that lets the rent rise in another way "is of no effect". It does not matter that Ellie signed the agreement before 1 May 2026. So the clause does not raise her rent, and the agent's email is not a Form 4A notice.

Ellie could keep paying £1,200 and ask Shelter or Citizens Advice how to reply. If her landlord wants an increase, they have to serve a Form 4A, and all the usual timing rules then apply, including two months' notice and the start of a rent period.

Legal basis: Housing Act 1988, section 13(4A); GOV.UK: Assured periodic tenancies, a guide for tenants (rent increases)

Example 8: A letter instead of Form 4A

Made-up example: a signed letter states the new rent, but it is not the prescribed form.

The facts

  • Sam rents a flat in England from a private landlord.
  • His monthly tenancy started on 1 June 2023, and each rent period starts on the 1st of the month.
  • His rent has not gone up before.
  • On 2 July 2026 a letter from his landlord arrived by post. It gives the landlord's name and address and Sam's correct name and address.
  • The letter is signed and says the rent will go from £1,100 to £1,180 a month from 1 October 2026.
  • It is a short letter, not a Form 4A.
  • Sam checks the letter on 4 July 2026.

Checker result: Looks invalid

  • Problem: The notice is not on Form 4A

Why

Section 13(2) needs "a notice in the prescribed form". That means Form 4A "or a form substantially to the like effect" (SI 2026/354, regulation 3). A short letter that only states a new rent leaves out most of what Form 4A says, including the tenant's right to go to the tribunal. GOV.UK's list of what a valid notice needs includes being "on the correct form and signed by the landlord". The dates in Sam's letter would pass, but good dates do not fix the wrong form.

Sam could keep paying £1,100 and show the letter to Shelter, Citizens Advice or a law centre. If a letter copied everything Form 4A says, the answer could be different, which is another reason to ask.

Legal basis: SI 2026/354, regulation 3(1)(d) (Form 4A); Housing Act 1988, section 13(2)(a)

Example 9: A Form 4A sent by WhatsApp

Made-up example: the form and the dates look right, but the way it was sent needs checking.

The facts

  • Ben rents a flat in England from a private landlord.
  • His monthly tenancy started on 10 March 2025, and each rent period starts on the 10th of the month.
  • His rent has not gone up before.
  • On 25 July 2026 his landlord sent him a photo of a signed Form 4A by WhatsApp. It gives the landlord's name and address and Ben's correct name and address.
  • It proposes £995 a month instead of £925, starting on 10 October 2026.
  • His tenancy agreement says nothing about serving notices by email or message.
  • Ben checks the notice on 28 July 2026.

Checker result: Needs checking

  • To check: Check that a text or app message is an agreed way to serve notices

Why

The dates work. Two months after 25 July 2026 is 25 September 2026, and the 10th is the start of one of Ben's rent periods. The open question is service. The note on Form 4A tells landlords to use a method agreed in the written tenancy agreement, or otherwise to hand the notice over, leave it at the tenant's address or send it by registered post. GOV.UK says a landlord can give notice "by email (if that’s allowed in your tenancy agreement)". WhatsApp is on neither list.

Ben could keep the message, read his agreement again and ask an adviser whether this counts as service. If he wants to challenge the rent anyway, the tribunal has to receive his application before 10 October 2026.

Legal basis: GOV.UK: Assured periodic tenancies, a guide for tenants (rent increases); Form 4A (GOV.UK, version 05.26), note to landlord on serving the notice

Example 10: A Form 4A with no signature

Made-up example: everything is filled in except the signature box.

The facts

  • Chloe rents a house in England from a private landlord.
  • Her monthly tenancy started on 15 January 2024, and each rent period starts on the 15th of the month.
  • Her rent has not gone up before.
  • On 6 June 2026 her landlord put a Form 4A through her letterbox. It gives the landlord's name and address and Chloe's correct name and address.
  • It proposes £1,450 a month instead of £1,350, starting on 15 September 2026.
  • The signature box is empty.
  • Chloe checks the notice on 9 June 2026.

Checker result: Looks invalid

  • Problem: The notice is not signed

Why

GOV.UK's guidance on applying to the tribunal lists what a valid notice must do, including "be on the correct form and signed by the landlord". Form 4A has a box for the landlord or their agent to sign and date. Here that box is empty, so the notice looks invalid on that point. The dates work: two months after 6 June 2026 is 6 August 2026, and 15 September 2026 is the start of one of Chloe's rent periods.

Not every mistake makes a notice invalid, and Shelter says a tenant should seek legal advice before treating a notice as invalid. Chloe could keep paying £1,350, keep the notice exactly as it arrived and talk to an adviser well before 15 September 2026.

Legal basis: GOV.UK: Apply for an open market rent determination (validity of the notice); Form 4A (GOV.UK, version 05.26), Note A

Example 11: The start date has already passed

Made-up example: a notice that looks right, checked a month after the new rent began.

The facts

  • Hannah rents a flat in England from a private landlord.
  • Her monthly tenancy started on 5 May 2022, and each rent period starts on the 5th of the month.
  • Her rent has not gone up before.
  • Her landlord handed her a signed Form 4A on 1 June 2026. It gives the landlord's name and address and Hannah's correct name and address.
  • It proposes £1,150 a month instead of £1,050, starting on 5 September 2026.
  • Hannah did not apply to the tribunal or agree anything with her landlord.
  • Hannah checks the notice on 6 October 2026.

Checker result: Needs checking

  • To check: The start date has passed

Why

The notice passes the date rules. Two months after 1 June 2026 is 1 August 2026, and 5 September 2026 starts one of Hannah's rent periods. Section 13(4) says the new rent takes effect as stated in the notice "unless, before the beginning of the new period specified in the notice", the tenant has applied to the tribunal, or the tenant and landlord have agreed a lower rent or no increase. Form 4A says: "The tribunal must receive the application before the start date your landlord has given in question 4.6." That date has gone, so if the notice is valid, £1,150 has been her rent since 5 September 2026.

Hannah could ask Shelter or Citizens Advice about her options now, so she does not fall behind. Anyone with a new notice should check it straight away.

Legal basis: Housing Act 1988, section 13(4)

Example 12: An old Form 4 served before 1 May 2026

Made-up example: a notice served under the old rules, a week before the new ones started.

The facts

  • Joe rents a house in England from a private landlord.
  • His monthly tenancy started on 1 July 2020, and each rent period starts on the 1st of the month.
  • His rent has not gone up before.
  • His landlord handed him a signed Form 4, the old form, on 24 April 2026. It gives the landlord's name and address and Joe's correct name and address.
  • It proposes £1,080 a month instead of £1,000, starting on 1 July 2026.
  • Joe checks the notice on 5 May 2026.

Checker result: Not covered by the checker

  • To check: Your notice was served before 1 May 2026

Why

This notice was served before the new rules started on 1 May 2026, so the old rules can still apply. SI 2026/421, regulation 8, says sections 13(4) and 14 "continue to apply as they had effect immediately before 1st May 2026" in cases like this, for a time. GOV.UK's guide for tenants says: "If they used form 4, the notice period and rent increase stated in the form will still apply, even if the new rent starts after 1 May 2026." The old notice period could also be shorter: GOV.UK mentions "one month if your notice was given before 1 May 2026".

The checker and these examples cover notices served from 1 May 2026. Joe could ask Shelter, Citizens Advice or a law centre soon, well before 1 July 2026, how the old rules apply to him.

Legal basis: SI 2026/421, regulation 8

Patterns to look out for

Most of the problems in these examples come down to a few patterns. They are worth checking on any notice, in roughly this order.

  • The wrong document. A letter, an email, a text or a clause in the tenancy agreement is not Form 4A. Since 1 May 2026 a rent review clause cannot raise the rent at all, because section 13(4A) makes such a term "of no effect". A new tenancy agreement at a higher rent is different again. If your landlord asks you to sign one, get advice from Shelter or Citizens Advice before you do.
  • Short notice. Count two calendar months from the day the notice was served, not from the date printed on it. If it came by post or was left at your home, the exact date of service can matter, so keep the envelope and write down when you found it.
  • The wrong start day. The new rent has to start on the first day of a rent period. If your rent periods run from the 15th, a start date on the 1st is a problem. For a weekly tenancy, check the weekday.
  • Too soon. The first increase cannot start until 52 weeks after the tenancy began. After that, in most cases each increase has to start at least 52 weeks after the last increase made by a section 13 notice or a tribunal decision, and sometimes 53. The date at question 4.4 on the form helps decide which.
  • Missing parts. No signature, or the wrong tenant name or address. GOV.UK lists both among the things a valid notice needs. A small spelling mistake is not the same as the wrong person or the wrong home, so ask an adviser how much a mistake matters.
  • How it was sent. GOV.UK says email counts if your tenancy agreement allows it. A text or WhatsApp message is not on GOV.UK's list or in the note on Form 4A.
  • Leaving it late. If you want the tribunal to look at a notice, it has to receive your application before the start date, whatever the problem is.

What to do if your notice looks invalid

  1. Keep paying your current rent in full and on time while you find out more.
  2. Keep everything. The notice, the envelope or message it came in and a note of the date you got it and how.
  3. Get advice before you treat the notice as invalid. Talk to Shelter, Citizens Advice or a law centre. Shelter's guide for advisers says: "A tenant should seek legal advice before treating a notice as invalid."
  4. Think about the tribunal. Form 4A says to refer the new rent to the tribunal "if you believe the proposed rent is higher than the market rate, or if you believe there is another problem with this notice". One application can cover both the amount and whether the notice is valid. If you only want to challenge validity, GOV.UK says "you must use the paper MR1 form". If the tribunal then finds the notice valid, GOV.UK says you must make a separate application to challenge the rent, and Citizens Advice warns you could be in rent arrears if you have not paid the new rent. GOV.UK also says that if the tribunal "decides the notice is invalid it will not determine the rent and you do not need to pay the new proposed rent".
  5. Apply before the start date. GOV.UK says: "You must apply before the start date of the new rent given in the notice, even if you’re still collecting your supporting evidence." The start date is at question 4.6 on Form 4A. The fee is £47, and you can ask for help with the fee.

On the MR1, question 4.2 asks "Do you agree that the notice served is valid?" If you answer "No", you give your reasons in your own words. The "Why" part of each example shows the kind of reason that helps: which rule, which dates and how you know them. Our MR1 step by step guide goes through the rest of the form. You type, sign and send your own application.

If the start date has already passed

Section 13(4) says a valid notice takes effect as stated in it unless, before the start date, the tenant applied to the tribunal or the tenant and landlord agreed a lower rent or no increase. So if the notice is valid, the new rent has usually applied from that date. If your start date has gone, as in the example above, ask Shelter or Citizens Advice about your options as soon as you can, and tell them if the notice itself looked invalid.

If your notice looks valid

A notice can follow every rule and still ask for more than similar homes let for. You can still ask the tribunal to decide the open market rent, if it receives your application before the start date. The tribunal cannot set a rent higher than the one your landlord proposed (section 14ZB(5)), and GOV.UK says "The decision is often made just on the documents submitted." Read Should I challenge? and What the tribunal looks at.

Read next

Questions people ask

Are these real cases?

No. Every example on this page is made up to show how the rules work. The names, rents and dates are invented. Use them to understand the rules, then check your own notice with your own dates.

Can I copy the reasons from an example into my MR1?

Use your own facts in your own words. The examples show the kind of reason that matters: the rule, the dates and how you got the notice. On the MR1, question 4.2 asks "Do you agree that the notice served is valid?" and gives you a box for your reasons. You fill in, sign and send your own MR1.

What does "Needs checking" mean?

It means the notice passes the rules the checker can test, but something needs a closer look. It could be a fact the checker cannot see, such as what your tenancy agreement says about email, or a start date that has already passed. Ask Shelter, Citizens Advice or a law centre.

If my notice looks valid, do I have to accept the new rent?

Not necessarily. A notice can follow every rule and still propose more than similar homes let for. You can ask the tribunal to decide the open market rent if it receives your application before the start date. The tribunal cannot set a rent higher than the one your landlord proposed (section 14ZB(5)).

Do these examples work for Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland?

No. Form 4A and these rules are for private tenancies in England only. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have different rules.

Sources

  1. Housing Act 1988, section 13
  2. Housing Act 1988, section 14ZB
  3. Form 4A, version 05.26 (GOV.UK PDF)
  4. SI 2026/354, regulation 3 (Form 4A)
  5. SI 2026/421, regulation 2 (the new rules from 1 May 2026)
  6. SI 2026/421, regulation 8 (notices served before 1 May 2026)
  7. Interpretation Act 1978, Schedule 1 (month means calendar month)
  8. GOV.UK: Apply for an open market rent determination
  9. GOV.UK: Assured periodic tenancies, a guide for tenants (rent increases)
  10. GOV.UK: Get help paying court and tribunal fees
  11. Shelter professional guide: Check the section 13 notice is valid