Can my landlord evict me for challenging a rent increase?

No. Section 21 'no-fault' evictions are abolished by the Renters' Rights Act 2025. Your landlord cannot serve a Section 21 notice to remove you for challenging a rent increase.

Can the tribunal set my rent higher than what my landlord proposed?

No. Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, the First-tier Tribunal cannot set rent above the figure the landlord proposed. The worst outcome if you challenge is that the tribunal confirms the proposed figure. It can only match or reduce it.

Is it free to challenge a rent increase at the tribunal?

Submitting the application is free, and there is then a £47 payment to process it.

How long do I have to challenge a rent increase notice?

You must apply to the First-tier Tribunal before the effective date stated in your rent increase notice. Once that date passes without a challenge, the new rent takes effect automatically. There is no grace period after the effective date.

How do I know if my rent increase notice is valid?

A valid notice must use the correct government Form 4A, give at least 2 months' notice, propose an effective date on the first day of a rental period, and not propose an increase within 52 weeks of your tenancy starting or the last increase. If any of these fail, you can apply to the tribunal to have the notice ruled invalid and your old rent continues.

Can my landlord increase rent during a fixed-term tenancy?

From 1 May 2026, fixed-term tenancies no longer exist in England — all private tenancies converted to rolling periodic tenancies on that date. Any rent review clause in your agreement is void. Your landlord can still propose an increase once a year using Form 4A, with at least 2 months' notice, and you have the same rights to challenge it at the First-tier Tribunal.

Received a Rent Increase Notice? Your Rights in England

If your landlord has served you a rent increase notice, here’s what you need to know before you do anything.

If your notice was served in March or April 2026 but says the new rent starts after 1 May 2026, treat it as urgent. That transitional situation is not fully settled: keep evidence of when the notice was served and do not let the effective date pass without taking advice or considering a tribunal application.

Three things to know right now

You can’t be evicted for challenging a rent increase. Section 21 “no-fault” evictions are abolished. Your landlord cannot retaliate.
The rent can never be set higher than what your landlord proposed. If you challenge at the tribunal, the worst outcome is the rent stays at the proposed figure. It can’t go above it.
You keep paying your current rent until the tribunal decides. No backdating, no arrears risk.

If you thought you were in a fixed-term tenancy

From 1 May 2026, fixed-term assured tenancies no longer exist in England. Whatever your agreement says, your tenancy is now a rolling periodic tenancy. Any rent review clause in your agreement — such as an annual RPI or CPI increase — is void. Your landlord can still propose a rent increase once a year, but they must use Form 4A and give you at least 2 months’ notice. The notice rules and your rights below apply in full.

If you do nothing, you accept the increase

This is important. If you don’t challenge before the date on your notice, the new rent takes effect automatically. There’s no grace period after that date. If you have concerns, you need to act before the effective date.

Check your notice for red flags

Before deciding what to do, check whether the notice is actually valid. You can use our notice validity checker or work through the list below. If any of these apply, the notice may have no legal effect and your old rent continues:

❌ It’s not on the correct government form
❌ The effective date is less than 2 months from when you received it
❌ The effective date doesn’t fall on the start of a rental period
❌ It’s been less than 52 weeks since your tenancy started
❌ It’s been less than 52 weeks since the last rent increase

If you spot any of these, you can apply to the tribunal to have the notice ruled invalid.

Your options

Accept — agree to the new rent. It takes effect on the date stated.
Do nothing — the new rent takes effect automatically on the proposed date.
Challenge it — apply to the First-tier Tribunal before the date on your notice. Submitting the application is free, and there is then a £47 payment to process it. You can generate a Rents 1 application to start. The tribunal will decide what the market rent should be, and it can only be set at or below what your landlord proposed.

For detail on what happens at a hearing, what evidence to submit, and what to expect, see our guide on the tribunal process.

Is the proposed rent fair?

If the increase seems high, look at what similar properties near you are renting for. Sites like Rightmove and Zoopla can give you a rough sense of market rates. The tribunal uses comparable local lettings as their main evidence — so can you.

New right: challenge your starting rent

This is separate from a rent increase. If you’re a new tenant and you believe the rent you agreed to is above market rate, you can apply to the tribunal within 6 months of your tenancy start date. The tribunal can only reduce it, never raise it. We’ll cover this in a dedicated guide.

For an overview of all the changes, see What’s Changing on 1 May 2026. For the full context of what the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 introduced, see our guide to the Act.