Increasing rent
From 1 May 2026, rent increases will become more structured and transparent.
If a landlord wants to increase the rent, they must follow a formal legal process (known as Section 13). Rent review clauses in tenancy agreements can no longer be used for this.
Key points include:
- Rent can only be increased once in any 12‑month period.
- Tenants must be given at least two months’ notice.
- Landlords must use an official notice to propose the increase.
Any increase must be in line with the current market rent. If a tenant feels the proposed rent is higher than similar properties in the area, they can challenge it through a tribunal, which will decide what the fair rent should be.
Protections around rent payments and advertising
There are also new rules to make renting fairer and more transparent. Landlords and letting agents must not:
- ask for, or accept, more than one month’s rent in advance.
- encourage bidding wars or accept offers above the advertised rent.
If these rules are broken, we can issue financial penalties of up to £7,000.
