Can your landlord increase rent twice in one year?

You have just absorbed one rent increase and now your landlord is proposing another? It is natural to feel frustrated. But the law is on your side here -- there are clear rules about how often your landlord can raise the rent.

The short answer: in most cases, no. Your landlord cannot increase your rent more than once every 52 weeks using a Section 13 notice. But the detail matters, because there are situations where it might look like a second increase even when it is not.

The 52-week rule

Section 13 of the Housing Act 1988 sets a minimum gap between rent increases for assured and assured shorthold tenancies. Your landlord cannot serve a Section 13 notice proposing a new rent to take effect less than 52 weeks after:

• The start of the tenancy (for the first increase), or
• The date the last Section 13 increase took effect (for subsequent increases)

This is not 12 months or one calendar year -- it is specifically 52 weeks. The clock starts from when the last increase actually took effect, not from when the notice was served.

Example: If your rent increased on 1 March 2026, the earliest your landlord can propose another increase to take effect is 28 February 2027 (52 weeks later). They would need to serve the notice at least the required notice period before that date.

What counts as a rent increase

Not every change to your rent counts as a Section 13 increase. Understanding the difference matters because only Section 13 increases trigger the 52-week rule:

Counts as a Section 13 increase (triggers the 52-week clock)

• A formal Section 13 notice using the prescribed form (Form 4, or Form 4A from 1 May 2026)
• A tribunal determination that sets your rent following a Section 13 challenge

Does NOT reset the 52-week clock

• Agreeing a new rent informally -- if you and your landlord agree a different rent without a Section 13 notice, this is a contractual variation, not a statutory increase. However, your landlord could argue this was a consensual change that resets expectations
• Starting a new fixed-term tenancy -- if you sign a new tenancy agreement with a higher rent, this is a new contract, not a Section 13 increase. The 52-week rule does not apply to negotiated rents in new agreements (though this changes from 1 May 2026)
• Correcting an error -- if a previous Section 13 notice was invalid and the increase never legally took effect, your landlord may be able to serve a fresh notice. The 52-week clock only starts from a valid increase

When it might look like two increases

There are a few scenarios where tenants think they are getting a second increase when, legally, something different is happening:

Scenario 1: New fixed term, then Section 13

Your fixed-term tenancy ends and you sign a new agreement at a higher rent. Six months later, your landlord serves a Section 13 notice proposing another increase.

Is this allowed? Possibly. The rent in the new agreement was a contractual change, not a Section 13 increase. The 52-week clock for Section 13 may run from the start of the new tenancy, not from the contractual increase. This is a grey area -- if you are in this situation, it is worth checking the specifics.

From 1 May 2026: The Renters' Rights Act abolishes fixed-term tenancies for new agreements. All tenancies will be periodic, and all rent increases must use Section 13. This loophole effectively closes.

Scenario 2: Invalid notice followed by valid notice

Your landlord serves a Section 13 notice, but it turns out to be invalid (wrong form, insufficient notice period, mathematical error). They then serve a new, corrected notice.

Is this allowed? Yes. An invalid notice has no legal effect, so the 52-week clock was never triggered. Your landlord can serve a fresh, valid notice. However, the new notice must comply with all the usual requirements, including the notice period.

Scenario 3: Rent increase clause in the tenancy agreement

Some tenancy agreements contain a clause allowing the landlord to increase rent by a set amount or percentage at certain intervals. If your landlord has used both a contractual clause and a Section 13 notice in the same year, you may have received two increases.

Is this allowed? Currently, yes -- contractual rent review clauses and Section 13 are separate mechanisms. A landlord could use one, then the other.

From 1 May 2026: The Renters' Rights Act abolishes contractual rent review clauses for assured tenancies. All increases must go through Section 13. This means only one increase per year, full stop.

How to check if the 52-week rule has been broken

If you think your landlord is trying to increase your rent too soon, check these things:

1. When did the last valid increase take effect? Not when the notice was served -- when the new rent actually started. Check your bank statements or payment records
2. Was the previous increase a Section 13 notice? If it was an informal agreement or a new tenancy, the 52-week rule may not apply (at least until May 2026)
3. Was the previous notice valid? If the previous notice had procedural errors, the increase may never have legally taken effect, meaning the clock never started
4. Count 52 weeks exactly. The rule is 52 weeks, not 12 months or one year. In a leap year, 52 weeks is one day short of a year

What to do if your landlord tries to increase rent too soon

If a Section 13 notice proposes a new rent to take effect less than 52 weeks after the last valid increase:

1. The notice is invalid. You do not need to go to tribunal -- the notice simply has no legal effect
2. Tell your landlord. Write to them (email is fine) explaining that the notice is invalid because fewer than 52 weeks have passed since the last increase. Quote Section 13(2) of the Housing Act 1988
3. Continue paying your current rent. You are not obliged to pay the increased amount
4. Keep records. Save copies of both notices, your letter to the landlord, and any responses
5. Use RentSOS to check. We can verify whether the 52-week rule has been followed and identify any other procedural errors

What changes from 1 May 2026

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 strengthens the one-increase-per-year rule:

• Contractual rent review clauses abolished. Landlords can no longer use tenancy agreement clauses to increase rent. All increases must use Section 13. This closes the loophole of using both mechanisms in one year
• Fixed-term tenancies abolished. No more signing a new agreement at a higher rent mid-year. All tenancies are periodic, all increases are via Section 13
• Minimum 2 months' notice. All frequencies get the same notice period, simplifying the rules
• Tribunal cannot increase above proposed rent. If you challenge and the tribunal agrees the timing is valid, the worst outcome is paying what the landlord proposed -- not more
• The 52-week rule remains. The fundamental one-increase-per-year principle does not change

FAQs

How often can a landlord increase rent in England?

A landlord can increase rent via Section 13 once every 52 weeks. This applies to assured and assured shorthold tenancies. From 1 May 2026, this becomes the only method of increasing rent, as contractual rent review clauses will be abolished.

Does the 52-week rule apply to all tenancies?

The 52-week rule under Section 13 applies to assured and assured shorthold tenancies (the vast majority of private tenancies in England). It does not apply to regulated tenancies, which have their own fair rent system, or to licences.

Can a landlord increase rent when renewing a tenancy agreement?

Currently, yes. If you sign a new fixed-term agreement with a higher rent, this is a contractual change, not a Section 13 increase. From 1 May 2026, fixed-term tenancies are abolished and all rent increases must use Section 13, so this route will no longer be available.

What if my landlord says I agreed to two increases?

An informal agreement to pay more rent (for example, in an email or verbal conversation) is not a Section 13 increase. However, if you have been paying the higher amount, your landlord may argue you accepted it. If you are then served a Section 13 notice, the 52-week clock may or may not apply depending on how the earlier change was made. Get advice if this is your situation.

Is there a maximum amount a landlord can increase rent by?

There is no legal cap on the amount of a rent increase. However, the proposed rent must be in line with what similar properties are renting for in the local market. If the increase is above market rate, you can challenge it at the tribunal, which will set the rent at the market level.

Key takeaways

• Your landlord cannot increase rent via Section 13 more than once every 52 weeks -- if they try, the notice is invalid
• The 52-week clock starts from when the last increase took effect, not when the notice was served
• Currently, contractual clauses and new tenancy agreements can technically allow more frequent changes, but this closes from 1 May 2026
• An invalid previous notice does not start the 52-week clock, so your landlord may be able to serve a fresh notice
• From May 2026, all increases must use Section 13, making the once-per-year rule absolute for all private tenancies