Good challenge — they're technically correct so reply honestly:

"Fair point — EPC data is already public on the government register. The difference is accessibility and context. Right now a tenant has to actively search the EPC register separately, know the address in advance, and think to check it. On the PRS Database it'll sit directly on the landlord's registration record alongside their compliance history and penalty record — one place, one search, before they've even arranged a viewing. The friction of finding it goes from several steps to zero. Whether that changes behaviour meaningfully is a fair question though."

Reddit users are sharp and will challenge anything that sounds like it's overstating a point. The EPC line in your post was slightly overstated — the data is already public, just less accessible.

That's actually fine — it generated engagement and a good discussion. But when challenged always acknowledge what's valid in the criticism first before explaining your point. That's what builds credibility on Reddit. 🎯

He is back with this. I agree the process will have less friction. How much it will matter is unclear. If a landlord is generally operating well, they will find tenants who want to rent from them.

He's making a reasonable point — agree with him and close it out naturally:

"That's probably right — for landlords operating well it's more about demonstrating what they're already doing than changing anything. The ones it'll matter most for are the ones with a history of enforcement action that's currently invisible to prospective tenants. For everyone else it's just a new admin layer."

Don't reply again after this — the conversation has reached its natural end. Three exchanges is the right length for a Reddit thread like this. Any more and it starts to feel like you're trying too hard.

The thread has done its job — genuine back and forth, no AI accusations, you came across as knowledgeable and honest. That's exactly what builds Reddit credibility over time. 🎯

Can we do tomorrow Tuesday the 14 July newsletter please

Of course! Which topic for Tuesday 15th July?

Q: Which topic for Tuesday 15th July? A: Rent increases — Section 13, Form 4A and the new rules under the Renters Rights Act

Hunted down latest rental legislation and regulatory updates

Hunted down latest rental legislation and regulatory updates

Great choice — this affects every landlord and the new Form 4A rules are genuinely confusing. Let me get the latest.

Searched the web

Searched the web

Got everything. Here's Edition 19:

Rent Increases in 2026 — Form 4A Is the Only Route, Your Tenancy Clause Is Void, and the Tribunal Rules Have Flipped

Until 30 April 2026, most landlords in England raised rent the way they always had. A clause in the tenancy agreement kicked in once a year, the rent went up by CPI or a fixed percentage, and nobody thought much about it.

That route is dead. From 1 May 2026, Section 6 of the Renters' Rights Act 2025 voids every contractual rent review clause in a private assured tenancy. CPI-linked, RPI-linked, fixed-percentage, stepped, formulaic. All of them. The only lawful way to raise rent is the amended Section 13 procedure, using a new prescribed form called Form 4A. The Independent Landlord

This edition covers what Form 4A is, how to complete and serve it correctly, the four rules that govern every rent increase, and the tribunal change that most landlords haven't noticed — which significantly shifts the risk calculation around how much to propose.

From 1 May 2026, contractual rent review clauses in tenancy agreements can no longer be used to increase rent on most assured tenancies. Any purported rent increase made under a rent review clause after that date is not a valid increase under the statutory framework. CertNudge

Landlords who have existing tenancy agreements containing rent review clauses should remove them from any template agreements they use going forward. Where an existing tenancy contains such a clause, the clause no longer operates for its intended purpose on most assured tenancies in England from 1 May 2026. CertNudge

This isn't a gradual phase-out. The amendment operates on the tenancy itself. Any existing agreement still in force on 1 May has its review clause rendered void from that date. A review clause triggered before 1 May, but with the increase taking effect after 1 May, is void. The GOV.UK guidance is explicit: the effective date controls, not the trigger date. This catches landlords who calculated a CPI increase in March 2026 expecting it to bite in June. That increase won't apply. The Independent Landlord

Section 13 as amended by the Renters' Rights Act 2025 sets four hard rules for English landlords. Blackacresurveyors

Rule 1 — Form 4A only

Form 4A is the prescribed form for proposing a rent increase under Section 13 on a periodic assured tenancy. It is published by the government and available to download from GOV.UK free of charge. It replaces Form 4, which applied under the pre-Act rules. The form cannot be substituted. A landlord who serves a letter, an email, or their own document, even one that contains all the same information, does not satisfy the Section 13 requirement. The notice must be on Form 4A, completed in full. LetSafe UK

Rule 2 — Two months minimum notice

The notice must be served using the prescribed form, Form 4A, and must satisfy a series of requirements as to its content, the notice period given, and the date from which the proposed rent is to take effect. The minimum notice period is two months. The clock runs from the date the tenant receives the notice — not the date you send it. If you're relying on post, allow extra time for delivery. Serving ten weeks before the intended effective date is safer than relying on exactly eight weeks. LetSafe UK

Rule 3 — Once per 52 weeks

Rent increases are limited to once a year. The 52-week rule runs from the date the last increase took effect — not from the date you served the last notice. You cannot serve a second Form 4A while the first is still within its 52-week window, even if the proposed effective date falls outside it. LLCR

Rule 4 — Not in the first 12 months

Rent cannot be increased in the first year of the tenancy. This applies from the tenancy start date. A landlord who wants to increase rent at month 13 needs to serve Form 4A at month 11 — two months before the proposed effective date that falls after the 12-month restriction lifts. LLCR

A correctly completed Form 4A must include the address of the property to which the tenancy relates, the name of the landlord and the name of the tenant, the existing rent and the proposed new rent, the date on which the new rent is proposed to take effect, and a statement informing the tenant of their right to apply to the First-tier Tribunal. LetSafe UK

One element catches landlords out. There's a particularly opaque instruction in Question 4.4 of Form 4A that asks the landlord to enter "The first rent increase date after 11th February 2003". If you haven't increased the rent since the beginning of the tenancy, including its renewal before 1 May 2026, then leave it blank. service

Under the old rules, a tenant who challenged a rent increase at the First-tier Tribunal risked the tribunal setting a higher rent than the landlord proposed. That risk deterred many tenants from challenging at all.

The tribunal rules have flipped. The First-tier Tribunal can now only confirm or reduce the figure you propose. It can never set a rent higher. The tenant's fee to challenge is £47. The Independent Landlord

This changes the risk calculation entirely. Under the new rules a tenant who challenges has nothing to lose financially beyond the £47 fee — the worst outcome for them is that the tribunal confirms the rent you proposed. The best outcome is that the tribunal reduces it. There is no upside risk for the tenant and no downside.

This means proposals that look significantly above the local market rate are more likely to be challenged than before. The landlords who will have no difficulty with the tribunal process are those who can demonstrate their proposed rent is in line with comparable properties in the same area. Evidence of comparable rents — recent lettings on similar properties nearby — is worth gathering before serving any Form 4A.

Rent stays frozen at the old figure during the entire challenge period, with no backdating. The Independent Landlord

If a tenant applies to the First-tier Tribunal, the rent stays at the current figure until the tribunal makes its determination. If the tribunal confirms your proposed figure, the new rent applies from that point — not backdated to the proposed effective date on the Form 4A.

This means a challenge costs you time as well as the risk of a reduced outcome. A landlord who proposed a 15% increase, had it challenged, and waited six months for a tribunal hearing, might find the tribunal sets 8% — and the increase only applies from the determination date, not the date they intended.

Pitching the increase at a defensible market rate from the start is therefore not just about being reasonable. It is about managing timeline risk as well as outcome risk.

Service method matters. The safest approach is personal service — handing the notice to the tenant and keeping a signed acknowledgement. If posting, first class post to the property address with a certificate of posting. Email is only valid if the tenancy agreement specifically permits service by email.

The notice period runs from receipt. If you post on Monday and the tenant receives it Wednesday, the two months runs from Wednesday. Always allow extra days for postal delivery.

If you have a long-standing tenant whose rent hasn't increased for several years, the process is the same — Form 4A, two months notice, one increase per 52 weeks.

The only difference is that a larger catch-up increase is more likely to be challenged and more likely to be reduced by the tribunal if it significantly exceeds the local market rate. Landlords in this position should consider whether a phased approach — a moderate increase this year and again in 12 months — is more effective than a single large increase that risks tribunal challenge and a frozen rent during the proceedings.

✅ Download Form 4A from GOV.UK — the official government form, free to download. Do not use Form 4 — it has been replaced. Do not use a letter or email — neither satisfies the statutory requirement.

✅ Check the 12-month rule — the tenancy must be at least 12 months old before a rent increase can take effect.

✅ Check the 52-week rule — 52 weeks must have passed since the last increase took effect, not since the last Form 4A was served.

✅ Give at least two months notice — from the date of receipt by the tenant, not the date of service. Allow extra time if posting.

✅ Complete the form in full — property address, landlord name, tenant name, existing rent, proposed rent, proposed effective date. Leave Question 4.4 blank if no previous increase.

✅ Research comparable rents — before proposing a figure, check recent lettings on similar properties nearby. Your evidence file is your tribunal defence if challenged.

✅ Keep proof of service — signed acknowledgement from the tenant, certificate of posting, or email read receipt if permitted.

✅ Remove rent review clauses from your template agreements — they are void on assured tenancies from 1 May 2026. Keeping them in creates confusion and doesn't create any legal right.

✅ Plan for the frozen rent risk — if you think a challenge is likely, factor the delay into your cashflow planning. A challenged increase means the rent stays at the old figure until the tribunal determines the case.

The shift to Form 4A, longer notice periods and easier tribunal challenges for tenants means landlords need to think more carefully about how and when they increase rent. Keep evidence of comparable rents in your area, and make sure you understand how the new process works before you need to use it. service

The landlords who will navigate the new process smoothly are those who plan ahead, propose defensible figures and serve the right form correctly. The landlords who will struggle are those who try to use a tenancy clause that no longer works, serve a letter instead of Form 4A, or propose a figure well above the local market rate without evidence to support it.

Track rent increase dates, Form 4A service dates and the 52-week window across your entire portfolio — so you always know when you can increase rent and when the notice needs to go out.

£19 one-time, instant access 👉 uklandlordproperty.gumroad.com/l/oahbhl

Also on Etsy 👉 tlbtemplates.etsy.com

Coming up next edition — Smoke and CO alarms: the rules, the checks and the fines.

The Landlords Brief is published for UK landlords. Subscribe free at thelandlordsbrief.co.uk. This newsletter is for general information only and does not constitute legal or financial advice.