Renters' Rights Act rent rules from 1 May 2026: what changed

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

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 changed how rent increases work for private renters in England. The main part came into force on 1 May 2026 for assured tenancies that are not social housing. This guide sets out what changed for rent, what stayed the same and the transitional rules for tenancies and notices from before that date.

The short version

GOV.UK's overview for tenants puts it like this: "Your landlord can only increase the rent once a year and not in the first 12 months of a new tenancy. They must use Form 4A and give you at least 2 months' notice. You can challenge a proposed rent increase that is above the market rent."

1. One route for rent increases

Before May 2026 a landlord could raise the rent in several ways: a section 13 notice, a rent review clause in a fixed-term agreement or a new agreement at renewal. Now section 13(4A) of the Housing Act 1988 says the rent for a period "may not be greater than the rent for the previous period" except through:

a section 13 notice (Form 4A), or an agreement following one
a tribunal decision under section 14
a written agreement after a tribunal decision for a rent lower than the one decided

Any term that allows a rise in other ways "is of no effect". In practice, rent review clauses and automatic yearly rises in private tenancy agreements stopped working on 1 May 2026. You and your landlord can still agree other changes to your tenancy (section 13(4B)), but that is "except as provided by subsection (4A)": an agreed rent rise that does not follow a Form 4A notice or a tribunal decision may have no effect. A landlord who wants to raise the rent has to use Form 4A.

2. Every tenancy is periodic

Fixed terms in assured tenancies no longer have effect. Section 4A says the tenancy "has effect as a periodic tenancy under which the periods of the tenancy are the same as the rent periods", and rent periods have to be 28 days or shorter, or monthly. That matters for rent increases because a new rent has to start at the beginning of a rent period.

3. Form 4A and two months' notice

The prescribed form for private landlords is now Form 4A (SI 2026/354). The notice period is at least two months from service (section 13(2)(a)), whatever your rent period. Under the old rules it was usually one month for a monthly tenancy.

4. Once a year, never in the first year

The first increase cannot start until 52 weeks after the tenancy began (section 13(2)(b)). Later increases have to be at least 52 weeks apart, or 53 weeks in some cases (section 13(2)(c), (3A) and (3B)). Before May 2026 the first-year rule did not apply to statutory periodic tenancies, the ones that carried on after a fixed term ended. Now it applies to every private assured tenancy.

5. The tribunal cannot raise your rent above the proposal

This is one of the biggest changes for tenants. Before May 2026 a tribunal could set a rent higher than the landlord asked for, which put many tenants off challenging. Now section 14ZB(5) says the new rent after a decision is the open market rent if that is lower than the proposed rent, and otherwise the proposed rent. Form 4A tells tenants: "you will not be required to pay more than the rent the landlord first proposed in question 4.5". This may not apply yet if an eviction case from before 1 May 2026 is still going on (see the transitional rules below).

6. No backdating, and help for hardship

Form 4A says "You do not have to pay the new rent amount until the tribunal has made its decision." After a decision, the new rent starts on the date in the notice if the decision came first, or otherwise at the start of the first rent period on or after the decision (section 14ZB(3)). If that would cause undue hardship, the tribunal can set a later date, up to two months after its decision (section 14ZB(4)). These rules may not apply yet if an eviction case from before 1 May 2026 is still going on (see the transitional rules below).

7. A fee to apply

From 1 May 2026, applying to the tribunal costs £47, with no hearing fee (First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Fees Order 2013, Schedule 1, item 4.1). Help with Fees can reduce or remove the fee. There is no fee if the notice came before 1 May 2026 or if you rent social housing.

8. A challenge to the starting rent

Section 14(A1) lets a tenant ask the tribunal to decide the rent "for the purpose of challenging the rent payable under the tenancy", even without a rent increase notice. Section 14(A2) limits this: no application can be made if the rent already comes from a tribunal decision, or if "more than six months have elapsed since the beginning of the tenancy". The six-month limit applies only to this route. It does not limit challenges to a Form 4A notice, which have their own deadline: before the start date.

On a starting rent challenge the rent cannot go up either: the new rent is the open market rent if that is lower than your current rent, and otherwise your current rent. It applies from a date the tribunal directs, which cannot be earlier than the date of your application (section 14ZA). For existing tenancies that were renewals, SI 2026/421 regulation 4 counts the six months from the start of the original tenancy. How the six months count for a renewal after 1 May 2026 is worth checking with an adviser.

9. What stayed the same

There is no fixed limit on the size of an increase. Shelter says: "There is no set limit to how much your landlord can increase the rent."
The tribunal still decides the open market rent: what a willing landlord could expect to let your home for on the same terms (section 14(1)).
You still have to apply before the start date on the notice (section 13(4)).
You can still agree a different rent with your landlord. Since May 2026 that agreement has to be for a rent lower than the one proposed, or for no change (section 13(4)(b)).

Transitional rules: tenancies and notices from before 1 May 2026

Notices served before 1 May 2026

If your landlord served a section 13 notice before 1 May 2026 for a new rent starting on or after that date, the old rules for challenging it can still apply (SI 2026/421, regulation 8). GOV.UK's tenants' guide 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." There is no tribunal fee for these notices.

Eviction cases from before 1 May 2026

If your landlord gave you a section 21 or section 8 notice before 1 May 2026 and the court case on it has not finished, your tenancy stays on the old rules until it does (Renters' Rights Act 2025, Schedule 6, paragraphs 3, 4, 16 and 17). The Act says the new rules "do not apply in relation to the tenancy" until that notice stops being valid, and the notice "remains valid until possession proceedings are concluded". The two months' notice, the ban on rent review clauses, the cap at the proposed rent and the no-backdating rule may not apply to you yet. Citizens Advice says the notice period is usually one month in this case and that the tribunal could increase your rent by more than your landlord is asking. Ask Shelter or Citizens Advice.

Rent review clauses used before 1 May 2026

If your rent went up under a rent review clause before 1 May 2026, that increase stands. But a Form 4A notice cannot propose a new rent "before the end of the period of 52 weeks beginning with the day on which the increase in rent ... took effect" (SI 2026/421, regulation 7). GOV.UK adds that if a rent review increase "was agreed before 1 May 2026 but takes effect after 1 May 2026, the increase will not apply".

Old forms

The 2015 forms regulations no longer apply to private assured tenancies, except in transitional cases such as a challenge to a notice given before 1 May 2026 (SI 2026/354, regulation 5).

What is coming next

On 9 September 2026 the government announced that HMRC's Valuation Office will become responsible for decisions on challenges to rent increases in England. No start date has been set. Until then, GOV.UK says "renters who want to challenge a rent increase must still apply to the First-tier Tribunal".

What this means for you

If you get a rent increase that is not on Form 4A, it is unlikely to be valid. Check it and get advice.
If you get a Form 4A, check the dates and decide before the start date whether to challenge. Read Should I challenge?
If you moved in less than six months ago and think your starting rent is above the market, you may be able to challenge it under section 14(A1).

Questions people ask

When did the Renters' Rights Act rent rules start?

On 1 May 2026 for private assured tenancies in England, under The Renters' Rights Act 2025 (Commencement No. 2 and Transitional and Saving Provisions) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/421).

Is there a cap on rent increases?

Shelter says there is no set limit to how much your landlord can increase the rent. What you can challenge is a new rent above the open market rent, and the tribunal cannot make you pay more than your landlord proposed.

Can my landlord still use a rent review clause?

No. Since 1 May 2026 a term in an assured tenancy that lets the rent go up other than through a section 13 notice, a tribunal decision or an agreement following one of those is of no effect (section 13(4A)).

Can I challenge my starting rent?

Yes, within the first six months of a tenancy, under section 14(A1). This is not possible if the rent was already set by a tribunal decision (section 14(A2)).

Do the new rules apply in Wales?

No. Wales has its own law for renting homes. These rules are for England only.

The Renters' Rights Act rent rules from May 2026