A 2026 guide to rent reviews, Form 4A and market-rent evidence There is no fixed percentage cap for an ordinary private-sector rent increase in England. A landlord cannot simply decide that 5%, 10% or any other figure is automatically acceptable. The central test is whether the proposed rent is defensible against the open-market rent for that property, on those tenancy terms, in that local market. Since 1 May 2026, the operational discipline around rent reviews has become mor

There is no single UK-wide percentage that a landlord can add to rent each year. For most private rented homes in England, there is no statutory percentage cap. Instead, since 1 May 2026, the landlord must use the statutory section 13 process, serve Form 4A, give at least two months’ notice, and may increase the rent only once in 12 months and not within the first 12 months of a new tenancy. The proposed rent should be no higher than the open-market rent for the property. Tha

Rent reviews have become a sharper operational issue in 2026. For landlords, the question is not simply whether costs have risen or whether a property has been under-rented for several years. For tenants, it is not simply whether an increase feels large. The central question is whether the right rent has been proposed through the right process. There is no single percentage cap that applies across the whole United Kingdom. Housing law is devolved, and the rules in England, Wa

On 1 May 2026, the Private Rented Sector Changes Forever On 1 May 2026, the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 will fundamentally transform tenancies across England. This is not a minor legislative update or a simple tweak to existing guidelines. This is a complete overhaul of how landlord-tenant relationships operate within the Private Rented Sector (PRS). Under current legislation, the abolition of fixed-term tenancies, the removal of Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions, and the introduc