Section 13 rent increase checker

A Section 13 notice is a formal written notice (under the Housing Act 1988, as amended by the Renters' Rights Act 2025) that a landlord uses to propose a rent increase on an assured tenancy in England. Since 1 May 2026 it is how a landlord increases the rent on most private tenancies: a rent review clause in the tenancy agreement can't be used to raise the rent, and an informal letter or email asking for more doesn't change your rent by itself.

Yes. You can apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) on form MR1 before the new rent in the notice is due to start. The fee is £47 for notices dated from 1 May 2026, and Help with Fees can reduce it, sometimes to nothing. The tribunal decides the open-market rent for your home; under the Renters' Rights Act 2025 it can only confirm the proposed rent or set a lower one — never a higher one — and its decision is not backdated. Keep paying your current rent while you wait. No outcome is guaranteed.

At least 2 months before the new rent is due to start, under the Renters' Rights Act 2025 (the previous minimum was 1 month). The notice must be on the prescribed form, and the new rent can't take effect within a year of the tenancy starting or of the last increase. If you think the notice is invalid, get advice from Shelter or Citizens Advice — but keep treating the date in it as your deadline to apply.

Comparable rents for similar local properties, photographs of the condition of the property, copies of correspondence with your landlord about repairs, and any records of disrepair. The rent check is free; RentCharter's evidence pack (£9.99, or free if you upload your tenancy agreement) helps you put the rest together.