Landlord or agent asked for more rent without Form 4A? What to do
Last checked 21 October 2026 against GOV.UK, legislation.gov.uk, Shelter and Citizens Advice. England only. Not legal advice.
Your landlord or letting agent has emailed, texted or phoned to say the rent is going up - but you haven't been given a Form 4A. If you are a private assured tenant in England (most people who rent from a private landlord who doesn't live with them), that message on its own does not put your rent up.
Why a message isn't a rent increase
Since 1 May 2026, section 13(4A) of the Housing Act 1988 says the rent can only go up through:
- a section 13 notice (Form 4A, or a form substantially to the same effect), or an agreement made after such a notice;
- a decision by the First-tier Tribunal; or
- a written agreement made after a tribunal decision, at a rent lower than the tribunal set.
Any term in your tenancy agreement that says the rent will go up some other way has no effect. Shelter says you don't need to pay or agree to an increase if your landlord just sends an email or a text, tells you in person, or says the rent is going up because of your tenancy agreement.
A valid notice also has to follow the date rules. GOV.UK says your landlord must give you at least 2 months' notice, can only increase the rent once a year, and can't increase it in the first year of your tenancy. A landlord can send the notice by email only if your tenancy agreement allows that - and it still has to be the notice itself, not just a message about it.
"Can't we just agree a new rent?"
The law allows you and your landlord to agree a rent after a section 13 notice has been served - for example, a smaller increase than the notice proposed, or no increase at all. What it doesn't allow is a higher rent with no notice behind it.
If you have already started paying a higher amount after an email or text, don't stop paying your normal rent. Get advice from Shelter or Citizens Advice about your situation before you do anything else.
A short reply you can send
Keep it polite and factual, and keep paying your current rent in full and on time. You could write:
Subject: Rent increase
Thank you for your message of [date] about increasing my rent to £[amount].
Since 1 May 2026, rent for my tenancy can only be increased with a section 13 notice on Form 4A. I haven't received one, so my rent stays the same and I will keep paying £[current rent] as usual.
If you want to propose a new rent, please send me a Form 4A.
Shelter has its own letter template you can use too. It also says that pressure to agree to a rent increase could be harassment, and that you cannot be evicted just for challenging a rent increase.
If a proper Form 4A arrives later
Your landlord can still serve a section 13 notice. If they do, check the dates. The new rent can't start until all of these have passed:
- at least two months after the notice was served;
- at least 52 weeks after your tenancy started, and 52 weeks (sometimes 53) after your last increase took effect;
- and it must start on the first day of a rent period.
Example: your monthly tenancy started on 15 March 2025, rent is due on the 15th and has never gone up. A Form 4A is served on 10 November 2026. Two months later is 10 January 2027, and the next rent period starts on 15 January 2027 - so that is the earliest the new rent can start. If you want the tribunal to look at the rent, your application must reach it before 15 January 2027.
Our free checker tells you whether a Form 4A looks valid and gives you your tribunal deadline. The £9.99 Dispute Kit gives you the full findings for your notice and a letter to your landlord filled in with your dates. It is self-help information, not legal advice.
If the Form 4A is valid but you think the rent is too high, you can negotiate or apply to the tribunal. See how to negotiate a rent increase and how to challenge a rent increase at the tribunal.
Who this applies to
These rules cover private assured tenants in England. Different rules apply if you rent from a council or housing association, live with your landlord, or your tenancy started before 15 January 1989. If you got a section 8 or section 21 notice before 1 May 2026, the GOV.UK information sheet says the new rules may not apply to you yet - get advice.
Check your own notice in 2 minutes - free
Answer a few questions about your notice and get your verdict free - likely valid, likely invalid or unsure - plus your tribunal deadline. The £9.99 Dispute Kit adds the reasons, your letter and an evidence checklist.
Check my noticeFrequently asked questions
Do I have to pay a rent increase my landlord emailed me about?
Not if it isn't a section 13 notice. From 1 May 2026 a private landlord in England can only increase an assured tenant's rent with a section 13 notice on Form 4A (or after a tribunal decision). Shelter says you don't need to pay or agree to an increase sent by email or text. Keep paying your current rent.
Can my landlord increase the rent because my tenancy agreement says so?
No. From 1 May 2026 rent review clauses and other terms that say the rent will go up have no effect. Your landlord must use a section 13 notice.
What if a Form 4A arrives later?
Then check it. The new rent can't start until at least two months after it was served, 52 weeks after your tenancy started or your last increase, and on the first day of a rent period. To challenge the rent, apply to the tribunal before the start date.
Can I be evicted for refusing an informal rent increase?
Shelter says you cannot be evicted just for challenging a rent increase, and that pressure to agree to one could be harassment. Get advice from Shelter or Citizens Advice if this happens.