Blog
Expert guides on tenant rights, rent increases, and the Section 13 process in England.
Is my landlord raising the rent just to force me out? What the law actually allows
A large rent increase can feel like a quiet eviction, especially now that no-fault eviction is gone. But a Section 13 must reflect genuine market rent, not what would make you leave. Here is where you stand.
Your landlord did up the flat and now wants a big rent rise: can you still challenge it?
A new kitchen or bathroom lets a landlord ask for more, but not for any figure they like. Here is how to tell a fair improved-market rent from an overreach, and when you can still challenge.
Is it worth challenging my rent increase? Your real chances at the tribunal
Before you spend the fee and the hours preparing an evidence bundle, there is a fair question worth answering honestly: is challenging your rent increase actually worth it? What are your real chances of the tribunal reducing the rent, and how do you know before you apply whether you have a genuine case or are about to pay to confirm the very increase you were fighting? The honest answer is that it is not a coin toss and it is not a lottery. Whether a challenge is worth it comes down to two things you can check in advance: whether the notice is procedurally valid, and whether the proposed rent is above the real market rent. Get those two answers and you already know most of what you need. This walkthrough gives you a straight, no-hype view of when a challenge is worth running, when it is not, and how the rules that changed on 1 May 2026 shifted the odds in tenants' favour. England only, periodic assured tenancies, Section 13.
The rent increase is huge but still under market: can I challenge it?
It is the question that catches more tenants out than almost any other. Your rent is jumping by hundreds of pounds, a 20%, 30%, even 40% increase in one go, and it feels obviously unfair. Surely an increase that big is something you can challenge? The hard truth is that the First-tier Tribunal does not judge the size of the increase at all. It judges one thing: what the property would let for on the open market today. If the new rent is at or below that market figure, a big jump on its own is not grounds to win, even though it feels like it should be. This walkthrough explains why the size of the increase is the wrong thing to focus on, what actually decides a tribunal case, and how to work out before you apply whether you have a real chance or are about to pay 47 pounds to lose. England only, periodic assured tenancies, Section 13.
How to build a comparables table for a rent increase challenge
Five similar nearby properties, laid out in a clean table, will beat a stack of screenshots at tribunal every time. Here is exactly how to build tribunal-ready rent comparables evidence.
Understanding the Market Rent Comparison in Your Rent Challenge
Learn how market rent comparisons work when challenging a rent increase, how to find comparable properties, and what the tribunal considers.
How Landlords Calculate Rent Increases (and Why Many Get It Wrong)
Find out how landlords should calculate rent increases under Section 13, the common mistakes they make, and how to spot an unfair increase.
What Is a Fair Rent Increase in the UK?
There’s no legal cap on private rent increases in England — but that doesn’t mean your landlord can charge whatever they like. Here’s how to tell if your increase is fair, and what you can do about it.