What is a Section 13 notice and how do I serve one?

A section 13 notice is Form 4A, the official notice proposing a new rent. Since 1 May 2026 private landlords in England must use it for every increase, served at least 2 months before the new rent starts.

The name comes from section 13 of the Housing Act 1988. Since the Renters' Rights Act 2025 took effect on 1 May 2026, it is the only way to raise the rent on a private assured tenancy in England, even if your tenant has already agreed. The current version is Form 4A (05.26). This page is general information for landlords in England. For your own case, check GOV.UK or get help from a solicitor or housing adviser.

Which form does what

Section 21 "no fault" notices ended for private tenancies on 1 May 2026. Always download the current version of the form from GOV.UK.

What goes on Form 4A

The form has a short set of questions:

• Tenants. The name of every tenant, and the address of the property.
• Landlord. Your name and a contact address. A phone number and email are optional. If you give an email, you agree that the tenant and the tribunal can serve documents on you by email.
• Agent. The same details for any agent.
• The rent. The current rent and how often it is paid (a month or less), the date the tenancy started, the date of the last increase, and the date of the first increase after 11 February 2003, if there was one.
• The proposal. The new rent and the date it will start.
• Charges. Any council tax, water, energy, communication services or fixed service charges included in the rent, now and proposed. Variable service charges are left out.

The three timing rules

Note A on the form sets three rules for the start date:

1. Notice. The form must be served at least 2 months before the new rent starts.
2. Gap. The first increase cannot start until 52 weeks after the tenancy began, and later increases need at least 52 weeks since the last one. Because 52 weeks is a little under a year, the new date also cannot be more than 6 days before the anniversary of the first increase after 11 February 2003. If it would be, you wait 53 weeks instead.
3. Rent day. The new rent must start at the beginning of a rent period. If a weekly tenancy started on a Monday, the new rent starts on a Monday.

What this means for you

Take a weekly tenancy that started on Monday 6 July 2026, with no increase since. 52 weeks later is Monday 5 July 2027, which is also a rent day, so that is the earliest start date. Serve the form by late April 2027 and you have more than 2 months to spare.

Your tenant then has three choices before the start date: pay the new rent, agree a different rent or date with you in writing, or refer it to the First-tier Tribunal. A referral must reach the tribunal before the start date. The tribunal decides the open market rent, and can consider the condition of the property. The tenant will not pay more than you proposed, and does not pay the new rent until the tribunal decides.

Rent you receive also counts towards your qualifying income for Making Tax Digital. The free MTD check shows whether a rise changes your start date.

Steps to serve a section 13 notice

1. Work out the earliest start date using the three rules above.
2. Download the current Form 4A from GOV.UK. Do not use Form 4 or an older version.
3. Fill in every question, including the dates in questions 4.2 to 4.4.
4. Sign and date it, by hand or electronically. Joint landlords each sign, or agree that one signs for all.
5. Serve it by a method your tenancy agreement allows. If it names none, hand it to your tenant, leave it at their address or send it by registered post. Email only if the agreement allows.
6. Keep a copy, with a note of when and how you served it and any proof of postage. You need to be able to show it was served.
7. Diary the start date, and check whether your tenant tells you they have applied to the tribunal.

The landlord section has more guides on renting under the new rules.