Most renters worry their landlord can keep raising the rent any time the market moves — every six months, twice a year, whenever a fixed term lapses. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 closes the door on that. In England the answer is the same for almost every private tenancy: once every 12 months, and only by following the statutory process.
The short answer
A landlord can increase the rent on a periodic (rolling) tenancy in England once every 12 months, using a Section 13 notice on the prescribed gov.uk form, with at least two months' notice. That's the floor, and there's no way for the landlord to legally compress it.
On a fixed-term tenancy, the landlord generally can't raise the rent at all unless the contract contains a rent-review clause that says they can. By agreement is always possible — but you don't have to agree.
The once-per-12-months rule
Section 13 of the Housing Act 1988 — as amended by the Renters' Rights Act 2025 — limits the use of the statutory rent-increase notice to once in any 12-month period. In practice that means:
- The clock runs from the date the previous increase took effect (or the start of the tenancy), not from the date of the notice. A Section 13 increase that took effect on 1 March 2026 means the next valid Section 13 increase can't take effect before 1 March 2027.
- A second notice inside the 12-month window may be invalid. Don't assume so and let the date pass: get advice, write back, and treat the date in the notice as your tribunal deadline until an adviser confirms otherwise.
- The 12-month rule applies per tenancy, not per landlord. Selling the property to a new landlord doesn't reset the clock. (More on this in our piece on what happens when your landlord changes.)
Periodic vs fixed term
Whether the once-a-year rule even applies depends on what kind of tenancy you have:
Periodic tenancy (rolling, month-to-month or week-to-week): Section 13 applies. Once every 12 months, two months' notice, prescribed form. Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025 private assured tenancies are periodic from 1 May 2026, so this is the default world.
Fixed-term tenancy (e.g. a 12-month AST signed before 1 May 2026): from 1 May 2026 these became periodic, so the Section 13 rules above apply. Rent review clauses in the old agreement can no longer be used to put the rent up. The rent can otherwise only change if you agree to it — and you don't have to. If you're unsure how the changeover affects your tenancy, check with Shelter or Citizens Advice.
If they try twice in 12 months
Landlords occasionally serve a second Section 13 notice less than 12 months after the first — sometimes by mistake, sometimes hoping the tenant doesn't know the rule. The notice may well be invalid, but get advice before relying on that. Your options:
- Reply in writing pointing out the 12-month rule. Most landlords back off once they realise. Use our response template as a starting point.
- Get advice. Shelter or Citizens Advice can confirm whether the notice is valid. Keep paying the existing rent in full meanwhile, and don't just let the date pass on the assumption the notice is invalid — silence can be misread as agreement.
- Apply to the First-tier Tribunal. If the new-rent date is looming and the landlord hasn't withdrawn the notice, apply (form MR1) before that date to protect your position — the fee is £47 for notices dated from 1 May 2026, and Help with Fees can reduce it to £0. The tribunal may also look at whether the notice is valid as well as the rent.
What ‘every year’ really means
“Every year” in landlord-speak often means “every 12 months”. But it can also mean “every April” or “at each anniversary of move-in”. None of those is the legal test. The legal test is whether 12 calendar months have passed since the last Section 13 increase took effect.
Three implications worth knowing:
- If your last increase took effect partway through the year, the next one can't simply align with January 1st — it has to respect the 12-month gap.
- A landlord can serve the notice before the 12-month anniversary, as long as the new-rent date is on or after the anniversary. Some landlords serve early to maximise notice; check both the served date and the new-rent date.
- You can always agree to skip an increase entirely. The 12-month rule is a ceiling on how often the landlord can impose; it isn't a floor that forces an annual review.
Read alongside our pillar piece on how much a landlord can increase rent in 2026, the rules on rent increase notice periods in the UK, and our Section 13 checker for validating a specific notice. If you want a fast sense check on the figure, run a free check at RentCharter.
Frequently asked questions
How often can a landlord increase rent in the UK?
No more than once every 12 months on a periodic (rolling) tenancy in England via the Section 13 statutory route. Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, private assured tenancies are periodic from 1 May 2026, so the once-a-year limit applies to most renters.
Can my landlord raise the rent every year?
Yes — but only once in any 12-month window, and only by serving a valid Section 13 notice with at least two months' notice. They can't combine 'every year' with 'every six months' or 'whenever the market moves'.
Can my landlord raise the rent twice in one year?
Not via Section 13. A second Section 13 notice whose new rent would take effect less than 12 months after the last increase may well be invalid — but don't assume so and let the date pass. Write back, get advice (Shelter or Citizens Advice), and treat the date in the notice as your tribunal deadline until an adviser confirms otherwise. The other way rent can go up more often is if you agree to a higher rent — which you don't have to do.
Does the 12-month clock start from the notice or the new-rent date?
From the date the previous increase took effect (or, if there hasn't been one, the start of the tenancy). So if your rent went up under a Section 13 notice on 1 March 2026, the next Section 13 increase can't take effect before 1 March 2027.
What if my landlord raises the rent during a fixed-term tenancy?
From 1 May 2026 private assured tenancies in England became periodic, so fixed terms no longer lock the rent — and rent review clauses can no longer be used to put the rent up. A landlord who wants more must use a Section 13 notice (or get your agreement). If your situation is unusual, check with Shelter or Citizens Advice.