Section 13 Form 4: what tenants need to know

You open the post and find an official-looking form covered in legal references and small print. It says something about a "proposed new rent" and a date it takes effect. Your stomach drops. But before you panic, take a breath — this is a Form 4, and understanding it puts you in a strong position.

Most of the information online about Form 4 is written for landlords: how to fill it in, where to download the template, what PDF to use. Very little is written for you — the person receiving it. That changes here.

This guide walks you through every section of a Section 13 rent increase form, explains what makes one invalid, and tells you exactly what to do next.

What is Form 4?

Form 4 is the government-prescribed form a landlord must use to propose a rent increase under Section 13 of the Housing Act 1988. It applies to periodic assured and assured shorthold tenancies in England.

Your landlord cannot simply write you a letter or send a text saying the rent is going up. They must serve this specific form — sometimes called the "section 13 rent increase form" or "rent increase form 4" — correctly and on time, or the proposed increase has no legal standing.

Think of Form 4 as the only valid ticket to a rent increase. No ticket, no ride.

What each section of Form 4 means

When you receive a Section 13 rent increase form, here are the key parts to check carefully.

1. Your tenancy details

The form should correctly identify:

• Your name (or names, if there are joint tenants)
• The property address
• The type of tenancy (assured or assured shorthold)

If any of these details are wrong, make a note. Errors here can be a sign that the form hasn't been properly prepared.

2. Your current rent

This section states the rent you're paying right now. Check it against your tenancy agreement or bank statements. If the amount listed doesn't match what you're actually paying, the form may not be valid.

3. The proposed new rent

This is the amount your landlord wants to charge going forward. There's no cap on how much they can propose — but the increase should reflect the open market rate for a property like yours in your area. If the proposed figure seems high compared to similar properties, you may have grounds to challenge it.

4. The date the new rent takes effect

The form must state when the increased rent starts. This date can't be plucked from thin air — it must comply with minimum notice periods (more on that below) and can only fall on the first day of a tenancy period.

For most monthly tenancies, that means the new rent can only start on the same date your rent usually falls due.

5. The notice period

Your landlord must give you enough advance warning before the new rent kicks in. For a monthly tenancy, that means at least one month's notice. For a yearly tenancy, the minimum is six months.

If the form arrives too late — say, three weeks before the proposed start date on a monthly tenancy — the notice is invalid.

Common mistakes that make a Section 13 notice invalid

Landlords (and their agents) get this wrong more often than you might expect. Here are the most common errors that can make a Section 13 rent increase form invalid:

• Wrong form used. If your landlord sent a letter, an email, or used an outdated version of the form instead of the current prescribed Form 4, the notice is not valid.
• Not enough notice. The notice period must meet the legal minimum based on your tenancy period. A monthly tenancy needs at least one month. Anything less means the notice fails.
• Increase served too soon. Your rent can only be increased once every 52 weeks (Housing Act 1988, s.13(2)). If your last increase — or the start of your tenancy — was less than a year ago, the notice is premature.
• Wrong tenancy type. Section 13 only applies to periodic tenancies. If you're still in a fixed-term agreement, your landlord generally cannot use this form to raise the rent.
• Missing prescribed information. The form must include the notes and guidance that the government requires. If those notes are missing or altered, the form may not meet the legal requirements.
• Incorrect tenant or property details. If the form names the wrong tenant, lists the wrong address, or gets other key facts wrong, its validity is questionable.

Even one of these errors can mean the proposed rent increase doesn't stand. That's why it's worth checking every detail.

Form 4 vs Form 4A: what's changing on 1 May 2026

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 introduces a new prescribed form called Form 4A, which becomes mandatory for any Section 13 notice served on or after 1 May 2026.

Here's what that means in practice:

• Before 1 May 2026: Your landlord should use the current Form 4.
• From 1 May 2026: Only Form 4A will be valid. Any notice served using the old Form 4 after this date will have no legal effect.

Form 4A includes updated guidance reflecting the changes brought in by the Renters' Rights Act. If you receive a rent increase notice around the transition date, check which form was used and when it was served. A notice served on 30 April using Form 4 is valid. The same form served on 1 May is not.

If you're reading this after 1 May 2026, your landlord should have used Form 4A. If they used the old section 13 rent increase form PDF, you may have grounds to challenge.

What to do if you've received a Form 4

Receiving a rent increase notice doesn't mean you have to accept it. Here's what to do, step by step:

1. Check the form is valid. Go through the sections above. Is the right form used? Is the notice period correct? Has it been at least 52 weeks since your last increase or the start of your tenancy?

2. Compare the proposed rent to market rates. Look at similar properties in your area on sites like Rightmove or Zoopla. If the proposed rent is above what comparable properties are letting for, you may have strong grounds to challenge.

3. Talk to your landlord. Sometimes a conversation is enough. If you can show that the proposed rent is above market rate, your landlord may agree to a lower figure without any formal process.

4. Challenge formally if needed. If you can't reach an agreement, you have the right to apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber), which will decide what the market rent should be. The tribunal is independent and looks at the evidence from both sides.

5. Use RentSOS to check your notice. Our checker walks you through the key validity questions and helps you understand whether you have grounds to challenge — in minutes, not hours. Check your Section 13 notice now.

You have rights in this process. A Form 4 is a proposal, not a done deal.

Key takeaways

• Form 4 is the only valid way your landlord can propose a Section 13 rent increase on a periodic tenancy in England (until 1 May 2026, when Form 4A takes over).
• Check every detail — wrong names, incorrect rent amounts, and short notice periods can all make the form invalid.
• Your rent can only go up once every 52 weeks, and the increase must reflect the open market rate.
• From 1 May 2026, only Form 4A is valid — notices using the old form after this date have no legal standing.
• You don't have to accept the proposed rent — you can negotiate, or apply to the tribunal if you believe the increase is above market rate.

FAQs

What is a Section 13 rent increase form?

It's the government-prescribed form (Form 4) that a landlord must use to propose a rent increase on a periodic assured or assured shorthold tenancy in England, under the Housing Act 1988.

Where can I find a Section 13 rent increase template or PDF?

The current Form 4 template is published by the UK government. However, as a tenant, you don't need to download it — your landlord is responsible for serving the correct form. What matters is checking the one you've received. If you'd like to see what a valid form looks like, it's available on GOV.UK.

Can my landlord increase my rent by any amount on Form 4?

There's no legal cap on the amount proposed, but it must reflect the open market rent for your property. If it's significantly higher than comparable properties in your area, you have grounds to challenge at the First-tier Tribunal.

What happens if my landlord uses the wrong form?

The notice is invalid. Your landlord would need to serve a new, correct notice — restarting the notice period from scratch. You are not required to pay the increased rent based on an invalid notice.

Is Form 4 still valid after May 2026?

Only for notices served before 1 May 2026. Any Section 13 notice served on or after that date must use the new Form 4A introduced by the Renters' Rights Act 2025. A notice served on the old form after the changeover date has no legal effect.

How can RentSOS help me with a Section 13 notice?

RentSOS checks the key details of your rent increase notice and helps you understand whether it's valid, whether the proposed rent reflects market rates, and what your options are — all in plain English, in just a few minutes. Check your notice now.