Landlords do not have an unlimited right to increase rent whenever they want. The rules depend on your tenancy type and where you live. In many cases, you have the right to challenge a rent increase at a tribunal, and if you do, the tribunal can only set a market rate, meaning it won't go higher than what the landlord asks for. This guide explains the rules across England, Scotland, and Wales.
Key points
✓In England a Section 13 notice is now the only way to raise the rent. Rent review clauses in tenancy agreements no longer work.
✓England: at least two months' notice, and no more than one increase in any 12 month period.
✓Challenging cannot backfire. The First-tier Tribunal cannot set a rent higher than the figure your landlord asked for, and its decision is not backdated.
✓Scotland gives you three months' notice but only 21 days to apply to Rent Service Scotland. That second deadline is short and easy to miss, so act the day the notice arrives.
✓Wales: two months' notice, once a year, with a disputed rent going to the Rent Assessment Committee.
England, private tenants
Since 1 May 2026 every private tenancy in England is an assured periodic tenancy. Fixed terms and assured shorthold tenancies are gone, and so is the rent review clause as a route to a rise:
✓Yes: A Section 13 notice is now the only way your landlord can raise the rent. Rent review clauses in tenancy agreements no longer work
✓Yes: The notice must give you at least 2 months' notice of the new rent taking effect. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 raised this from 1 month
✓Yes: Rent can only be increased once in any 12 month period
✓Yes: If you think the proposed rent is above the market rate, you can challenge it at the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber). Apply before the date the increase is due to take effect
✓Yes: The Tribunal decides what the market rent is, and it cannot set a rent higher than the figure your landlord asked for, so challenging cannot backfire into a bigger rise
✓Yes: An increase set by the Tribunal is not backdated. It applies from the date of the Tribunal's determination
These rules changed on 1 May 2026. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 abolished fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies and Section 21 evictions, made Section 13 the only route to a rent increase, doubled the notice to 2 months, and stopped the Tribunal from ever setting a rent above what the landlord proposed. If you were told something different before that date, check gov.uk for the current position. The government's Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet summarises these changes for existing tenants.
Scotland, private tenants (PRT)
In Scotland, most private tenants have a Private Residential Tenancy (PRT). Rent increases are heavily regulated:
✓Yes: Landlord must give at least 3 months' notice of a rent increase
✓Yes: Rent can only be increased once per year
✓Yes: You have only 21 days from receiving the notice to apply to Rent Service Scotland for a Rent Officer to check the increase. This deadline is short and easy to miss, act as soon as the notice arrives
✓Yes: The Rent Officer decides whether the proposed rent is in line with what similar properties are being let for, and aims to decide within 40 days
✓Yes: You can appeal the Rent Officer's decision to the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland
Scotland's rules are changing under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2025. It lets Scottish Ministers designate "rent control areas" where increases are capped at a set "permitted rate", and local authorities started assessing which areas qualify from 1 April 2026. This applies only where an area has been designated, not across Scotland automatically, so check gov.scot or Shelter Scotland for the position where you live, and until a rent control area applies to you, work to the rules and the 21 day deadline above.
Wales, private tenants
In Wales, the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 introduced the Occupation Contract, which replaced the AST:
✓Yes: Landlords must give at least 2 months' notice of a rent increase
✓Yes: Rent can only be increased once per year
✓Yes: Tenants can refer a disputed rent to the Rent Assessment Committee
Social housing rent increases
If you rent from a council or housing association, different rules apply:
✓Yes: Rent increases are set by government formula, typically CPI inflation + 1% (currently subject to a cap)
✓Yes: You must be given advance written notice of any rent increase before it takes effect
✓Yes: You can challenge a rent increase you believe is unlawful by complaining to the Regulator of Social Housing or the Housing Ombudsman
How to challenge a rent increase
1
Negotiate directly first
Write to your landlord. Point out the current market rate for comparable properties and propose a lower increase. Landlords often accept a negotiated figure rather than deal with a tribunal.
2
Check the notice was valid
In England, a Section 13 notice must be on the prescribed form and must give you at least 2 months before the new rent starts. If it is not on the correct form, gives less than 2 months, or comes less than 12 months after the last increase, it may be invalid.
3
Refer to the tribunal
In England, apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) before the proposed increase takes effect. In Scotland, contact Rent Service Scotland. In Wales, contact the Rent Assessment Committee.
Referring a rent increase to the tribunal does not affect your security of tenure. Your landlord cannot evict you for making a referral, and the rule that the tribunal can never set a rent above what your landlord proposed protects you from a bigger increase than the one you challenged. The tribunal looks at market rents for comparable properties, present evidence of what similar homes rent for in your area.
Can my landlord increase my rent during a fixed-term tenancy?
Generally no, your rent is fixed for the duration of the term unless there is a rent review clause in your tenancy agreement. After the fixed term ends, your landlord must follow the proper notice procedure. Any mid-tenancy increase without a contractual clause must be agreed by you in writing.
How much notice must my landlord give for a rent increase?
In England, since the Renters' Rights Act 2025, a landlord must give at least 2 months' written notice using a Section 13 notice before a rent increase takes effect (this was 1 month before 1 May 2026). In Wales, landlords must give at least 2 months' notice under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016. In Scotland, landlords must give at least 3 months' notice. You can challenge the proposed rent if you believe it is above the market rate.
How do I challenge a rent increase?
In England, you can refer a Section 13 notice to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) any time before the date the increase is due to take effect. In Wales, a disputed rent goes to the Rent Assessment Committee. In Scotland, you must apply to Rent Service Scotland within 21 days of receiving the rent increase notice.
What are the rent increase rules in Scotland?
In Scotland, private landlords can only increase rent once every 12 months and must give 3 months' written notice. Tenants must apply to Rent Service Scotland within 21 days of getting the notice if they want a rent officer to check it. The Housing (Scotland) Act 2025 also lets the government designate 'rent control areas', which cap how much rent can rise in that area.
Can my landlord evict me for refusing a rent increase?
Not directly, your landlord cannot evict you simply because you challenged a rent increase. However, they may use other grounds for eviction if applicable. If you refuse to pay an increase that has been properly applied, you could accrue rent arrears, which is a ground for eviction. It is important to use the formal challenge process rather than simply refusing to pay.
How do I increase the rent on my property as a landlord?
In England, you must use a Section 13 notice on the prescribed form (Form 4A), giving your tenant at least 2 months' notice, and you can still only do this once every 12 months; a rent review clause in the tenancy agreement no longer has any effect. In Wales, give at least 2 months' notice under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016. In Scotland, give at least 3 months' notice, and your tenant has 21 days to refer the increase to Rent Service Scotland.
Can I still increase rent under the new rules?
Yes, landlords can still increase rent, but only through the correct process: a Section 13 notice in England, giving at least 2 months' notice and no more than once every 12 months. Rent review clauses and informal increases no longer work.
What rent increase protection do tenants have?
Tenant protection against rent increases comes from the notice period and once-a-year limit (2 months and 12 months in England, 3 months and 12 months in Scotland), and from the right to challenge a proposed increase before it takes effect. The tribunal can never set a rent above what the landlord asked for, so this protection cannot backfire into a bigger rise.
Know Your Rights UK. "Rent Increases: When Your Landlord Can Raise the Rent and How to Challenge It." Know Your Rights UK, https://www.knowyourrightsuk.com/housing/rent-increases