How much can a landlord increase rent in the UK in 2026?

Search results for “how much can my landlord increase my rent” in England give the same misleading answer over and over: “Around 5%”, or “In line with inflation”, or “Whatever's reasonable”. None of these is the law. The actual answer is more useful, and more empowering, than the rumour.

The short answer

In England there is no statutory cap on the amount of a rent increase. Your landlord can ask for any figure they like. What the law caps is the process: how often they can raise it, how much notice they have to give, and what evidence they need if you challenge it at the tribunal.

The real ceiling is the local open-market rent. Under the Renters' Rights Act 2024 the First-tier Tribunal can only confirm or lower the proposed rent — it can't set it higher. So the landlord's figure is always the maximum, and good local evidence often pulls it down.

Why there's no cap (and what actually is capped)

England (and Wales, and Scotland, with their own variants) has chosen a market-led approach to rents rather than rent control. Scotland tried emergency rent caps in 2022–2024 and they expired without becoming permanent. The Renters' Rights Act 2024 reform in England considered, and rejected, statutory rent caps. So the substantive amount is uncapped.

What is capped is:

• Frequency: rent rises via Section 13 no more than once every 12 months.
• Notice: at least two months before the new rent starts (RRA 2024 — up from one month).
• Form: the increase must use the prescribed Section 13 notice form unless the tenant agrees in writing.
• Tribunal outcome: the First-tier Tribunal can only confirm or lower the proposed figure — it can no longer set a rent higher than what the landlord asked for. This used to be the chilling effect that stopped tenants challenging.

The Section 13 framework

Most tenants on a periodic (rolling, month-to-month) tenancy will see a rent rise via a Section 13 notice. The mechanics:

1. Landlord serves a Section 13 notice on the prescribed form.
2. The notice specifies the new monthly rent and the date it starts — at least two months from when it was served.
3. If the tenant does nothing, the new rent takes effect on that date.
4. If the tenant disagrees, they apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) before the new-rent date.
5. The tribunal sets a rent equal to the open-market rent for the property, capped at the landlord's proposed figure.

For more on what makes a Section 13 notice valid — or how to spot one that isn't — see our Section 13 checker and the step-by-step guide.

How often rent can go up

Under the Renters' Rights Act 2024:

• Periodic tenancies (most assured tenancies post-RRA): once every 12 months via Section 13. Not negotiable, not contractually shortened.
• Fixed-term tenancies: only if the contract contains a rent-review clause permitting it. If your fixed-term tenancy says nothing about mid-term increases, you're locked in until renewal.
• By agreement: a tenant can always agree to a higher rent in writing, outside the Section 13 process. Don't. You give up the tribunal route by doing this.

Why ‘market rate’ is the real ceiling

The First-tier Tribunal determines what the rent should be by looking at what willing tenants are paying for similar properties in the area today. They look at:

• Comparable lets in the same postcode prefix (e.g. SW18, M14, BS1)
• The same property type (flat, house, studio, room)
• The same bedroom count
• The same level of furnishing and condition
• The state of repair

They don't consider:

• The landlord's mortgage or yield expectations
• How long you've lived there or how nice you've been
• Inflation, CPI, RPI, or wage growth
• What the landlord wants to charge a future tenant

This is why running a quick check on a tool like RentCharter's rent checker matters: you can instantly see whether your proposed rent sits below the lower quartile, around the median, or above the upper quartile of comparable lets. If it's within range, you're negotiating around the edges. If it's above the upper quartile, you've got a real case.

Mid-tenancy and renewal increases

Two scenarios people confuse:

Mid-tenancy (your tenancy is rolling on indefinitely): the landlord uses Section 13. Two months' notice, max once a year, tribunal route available. This is the framework above.

Renewal (your fixed term is ending): the landlord can propose any figure as a condition of signing a new contract. If you refuse, they can let the tenancy lapse into a periodic — at which point you're in the Section 13 framework. Some landlords use renewal pressure to extract higher rents they couldn't get via Section 13. Knowing the Section 13 route exists is itself negotiating leverage at renewal.

What to do if the figure is too high

The playbook hasn't changed:

1. Diary the dates. Note the new-rent date from the Section 13 notice — that's the tribunal deadline.
2. Run a quick check at RentCharter to see where the figure sits in your local market.
3. Reply in writing with a counter-offer based on comparable evidence. Our response template walks through it.
4. If negotiation fails, apply to the First-tier Tribunal before the new-rent date. It's free, no solicitor needed.

The single most important fact post-RRA 2024: the tribunal cannot raise the rent above what your landlord proposed. So applying to the tribunal has no downside risk you can quantify. The worst case is the rent stays at what the landlord asked for. The best case is the tribunal cuts it materially.

Frequently asked questions