When can the new rent start?
A free calculator for a section 13 rent increase on Form 4A, for a private tenancy in England, under the rules for notices served from 1 May 2026. It works out the earliest day the new rent can start, shows each rule it used, and quotes the law each one rests on. It runs in your browser: nothing you type is sent to us.
The rules it applies
The notice must be served at least two months before the new rent starts.
A first increase cannot start until 52 weeks after the tenancy began.
After an earlier increase by a notice like this one, or by a tribunal's decision, the next cannot start until 52 weeks after the last one took effect. That becomes 53 weeks where the 52-week day would fall more than 6 days before the anniversary of the first increase since 11 February 2003, which stops increase dates drifting earlier each year.
If the rent last went up under a rent review clause in the tenancy agreement, before 1 May 2026, the next increase cannot start until 52 weeks after that one did. From 1 May 2026 a clause like that no longer raises the rent.
The new rent must start on the first day of a rent period: for a monthly tenancy, the same day of the month the tenancy started on; for a weekly one, the same day of the week.
Where the law could mean two days
Where a rule could be read as one of two days, the calculator gives the later one and says why. A new rent can always start later than the earliest day; a day earlier than the law allows is never safe to put on a notice.
Two months after the 31st, in a month with no 31st, is taken as the 1st of the month after.
A monthly tenancy that began on the 29th, 30th or 31st is given a day in a month that has that date, because Form 4A says the new rent starts on the same day of the month the tenancy did.
The 53-week test depends on the day the 53rd week begins, which can be read as 52 weeks after the last increase or the day after. The calculator tries both, against the anniversary nearest to that day, and uses 53 weeks if either calls for it. If you don't know the date of the first increase since 11 February 2003, it uses 53 weeks and asks you for it.
What it does not do
It works out a date, not whether the new rent is fair. Your tenant can ask the tribunal to decide the rent if they think the increase is above the open market rent.
It is for private tenancies in England only. It does not cover social housing, assured agricultural occupancies, or notices served before 1 May 2026, which followed the old rules.
If the rent last went up some other way, for example simply agreed with your tenant, it will not give you a date. The rules count an increase made by a notice, by a tribunal's decision or, before 1 May 2026, by a rent review clause. An increase simply agreed is none of those, so get advice on how it counts.
The notice itself
A rent increase on a private tenancy in England goes on Form 4A. GOV.UK publishes it with the other assured tenancy forms, and its own notes at the end set out these rules too. Assured tenancy forms on GOV.UK
The law, word for word
Each quote below was read on its page on 01/10/2026. Follow the link to read it in full.
Which tenancies the section 13 rules cover
“This section applies to any assured tenancy other than a relevant low-cost tenancy.”
Renters' Rights Act 2025, section 6 (legislation.gov.uk)“For use in the private rented sector in England only.”
Form 4A, the prescribed form (GOV.UK, PDF)“in the case of an assured agricultural occupancy, the first anniversary of the date on which the first period of the tenancy began”
Housing Act 1988, section 13 (legislation.gov.uk)“If you want to increase the rent, you will need to fill out Form 4A and give it to your tenant with at least 2 months’ notice.”
Renters' Rights Act: an overview for landlords (GOV.UK)
Notices served on or after 1 May 2026
“Words in s. 13(2)(a) substituted (1.5.2026 for specified purposes) by Renters’ Rights Act 2025”
Housing Act 1988, section 13 (legislation.gov.uk)“on or after 1st May 2026 may not propose a new rent to take effect before the end of the period of 52 weeks”
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 (Commencement No. 2 and Transitional and Saving Provisions) Regulations 2026, regulation 7 (legislation.gov.uk)“challenge to new rent proposed in a notice under section 13 given before 1st May 2026”
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 (Commencement No. 2 and Transitional and Saving Provisions) Regulations 2026, regulation 8 (legislation.gov.uk)
At least two months' notice
“the landlord may serve on the tenant a notice in the prescribed form proposing a new rent to take effect at the beginning of a new period of the tenancy specified in the notice, being a period beginning not earlier than”
Housing Act 1988, section 13 (legislation.gov.uk)“after the date of the service of the notice”
Housing Act 1988, section 13 (legislation.gov.uk)“for “the minimum period” substitute “two months””
Renters' Rights Act 2025, section 6 (legislation.gov.uk)“First requirement: in all cases, this notice must be served at least two months before the new rent can start.”
Form 4A, the prescribed form (GOV.UK, PDF)“If you want to increase the rent, you will need to fill out Form 4A and give it to your tenant with at least 2 months’ notice.”
Renters' Rights Act: an overview for landlords (GOV.UK)
The new rent starts at the beginning of a rent period
“proposing a new rent to take effect at the beginning of a new period of the tenancy specified in the notice”
Housing Act 1988, section 13 (legislation.gov.uk)“Third requirement: in all cases, the new rent must start at the beginning of a tenancy period.”
Form 4A, the prescribed form (GOV.UK, PDF)“First example: 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.”
Form 4A, the prescribed form (GOV.UK, PDF)“Second example: if a weekly tenancy started on a Monday, the new rent must begin on a Monday.”
Form 4A, the prescribed form (GOV.UK, PDF)“This is the tenancy period. This must be a month or less.”
Form 4A, the prescribed form (GOV.UK, PDF)
A first increase: 52 weeks after the tenancy began
“in any other case, on the date that falls 52 weeks after the date on which the first period of the tenancy began”
Housing Act 1988, section 13 (legislation.gov.uk)“Second requirement: The first rent increase cannot start until 52 weeks have passed since the tenancy began.”
Form 4A, the prescribed form (GOV.UK, PDF)
A later increase: 52 weeks after the last one, or 53
“if the rent under the tenancy has previously been increased by virtue of a notice under this subsection or a determination under section 14”
Housing Act 1988, section 13 (legislation.gov.uk)“the date that falls 52 weeks after the date on which the increased rent took effect”
Housing Act 1988, section 13 (legislation.gov.uk)“the date that falls 53 weeks after the date on which the increased rent took effect”
Housing Act 1988, section 13 (legislation.gov.uk)“the fifty-third week after the date on which the last such increase took effect begins more than six days before the anniversary of the date on which the first such increase took effect”
Housing Act 1988, section 13 (legislation.gov.uk)“In most cases, any further rent increase must be at least 52 weeks after the previous increase.”
Form 4A, the prescribed form (GOV.UK, PDF)“However, the new rent date cannot be more than 6 days before the anniversary of the date given in question 4.4.”
Form 4A, the prescribed form (GOV.UK, PDF)“If it would be, the landlord must wait an extra week (53 weeks in total) before the increase can start.”
Form 4A, the prescribed form (GOV.UK, PDF)“Give the date of the first rent increase after 11 February 2003.”
Form 4A, the prescribed form (GOV.UK, PDF)
An increase under a rent review clause before 1 May 2026
“may not propose a new rent to take effect before the end of the period of 52 weeks beginning with the day on which the increase in rent referred to in paragraph (1) took effect”
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 (Commencement No. 2 and Transitional and Saving Provisions) Regulations 2026, regulation 7 (legislation.gov.uk)“Transitional provision relating to regulation 2: rent increase by rent review clause before 1st May 2026”
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 (Commencement No. 2 and Transitional and Saving Provisions) Regulations 2026, regulation 7 (legislation.gov.uk)“any provision relating to an assured tenancy to which this section applies is of no effect so far as it provides that the rent for a particular period of the tenancy must or may be greater than the rent for the previous period”
Housing Act 1988, section 13 (legislation.gov.uk)
A tenant can challenge the proposed rent
“applies to the appropriate tribunal under section 14(A3)”
Housing Act 1988, section 13 (legislation.gov.uk)“You cannot increase rent more than once a year and tenants will be able to challenge a proposed rent increase that is above the open market rent.”
Renters' Rights Act: an overview for landlords (GOV.UK)
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