Challenging a rent increase

Summary

This advice will usually apply to you if all the following are true: * you started renting on or after 15 January 1989 * your landlord gave you a ‘section 13 notice’ In most cases this means you’ll have an ‘assured tenancy’. In some cases, you might have an ‘assured shorthold tenancy’. This advice applies to people with one of these tenancies. If you’re not sure, or you have a different kind of agreement with a private landlord, check your tenancy type if you rent from a private landlord. Your landlord might not have to use a section 13 notice to increase your rent if any of the following applies: * you got a section 21 or section 8 eviction notice * they increased your rent before 1 May 2026 If you’re in this situation and you’ve already paid the new rent, you can’t challenge your increase. If you haven’t paid the new rent yet, you should talk to an adviser. You should try to speak to your landlord if you don't agree with your rent increase. You might be able to come to an agreement. Read our advice about reaching an agreement with your landlord. Your landlord has to give you a section 13 notice if they want to increase your rent. You can challenge your increase if you got a.

Key information

• you have a private landlord
• you don’t live with your landlord
• you started renting on or after 15 January 1989
• your landlord gave you a ‘section 13 notice’
• you got a section 21 or section 8 eviction notice
• they increased your rent before 1 May 2026
• the section 13 notice isn’t valid
• the increase is unreasonable
• your landlord hasn't given you the right amount of notice for the rent increase - this will depend on your tenancy but must be at least a month
• there's a mistake on it, for example it's got the wrong name or address
• you got a section 21 eviction notice and your landlord wants to increase your rent during a fixed-term
• you got a section 21 eviction notice and you have a rent review clause in your tenancy agreement

Practical guidance

• Source: Challenging a rent increase

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