The Renter's Rights Act 2025: How Often Can Landlord Increase Rent?

The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 marks a major shift in how rent increases work in the private rented sector in England. One of the government’s key aims with this legislation is to bring greater predictability and fairness to rent rises, ending practices that allowed frequent or sudden increases.

For tenants, understanding how often rent can be increased and how much it can rise by is crucial. This article explains exactly what the new law allows, what it bans, and what protections renters now have.

How Often Can Rent Be Increased Under the New Law?

Under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, landlords can increase rent no more than once in any 12-month period.

This rule applies to all private tenancies once the new system is fully in force, regardless of how long you have lived in the property. The days of mid-tenancy rent hikes or multiple increases in a single year are over. You can read the official government guidance on the implementation roadmap for the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 for details.

Fixed-Term Tenancies and Rent Reviews Are Abolished

The Act removes Assured Shorthold Tenancies and fixed terms entirely. Instead, all tenants will move onto open-ended periodic tenancies.

As part of this change:

• Rent review clauses in tenancy agreements will no longer apply
• Landlords cannot rely on pre-written clauses to increase rent automatically
• Rent can only be increased using the statutory process

Shelter has confirmed that contractual rent review clauses will have no effect under the new system, which you can read more about on Shelter’s website.

The Only Legal Way Rent Can Be Increased: Section 13 Notices

Once the Act is in force, landlords will only be able to increase rent by serving a Section 13 rent increase notice.

This process includes several important safeguards:

• The landlord must give at least two months’ written notice
• The increase cannot take effect until the notice period ends
• A Section 13 notice can only be used once per year

If a landlord attempts to increase rent more frequently, or outside this process, the increase will not be legally valid. More guidance on Section 13 notices is available on GOV.UK.

By How Much Can Rent Be Increased?

The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 does not set a fixed percentage cap on rent increases. However, it introduces a legal requirement that limits how high an increase can be.

Any rent increase must be in line with the open market rent for similar properties in the local area. Landlords are no longer free to raise rent simply because they choose to. Shelter explains this principle in its guidance on challenging a rent increase.

Challenging an Unfair Rent Increase

Tenants who believe a rent increase is too high can apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) before the new rent takes effect.

The tribunal will assess:

• Local rental market evidence
• Comparable properties in the area
• The condition and features of the property

If the tribunal decides the proposed rent is excessive, it can set a lower rent. That rent then becomes legally binding for the next 12 months. You can find out more about applying to the tribunal on GOV.UK’s housing tribunals page.

What This Means in Practice

For tenants, the new rules mean:

• Rent can only increase once every 12 months
• You must receive at least two months’ notice
• You can challenge increases that exceed market rates
• You no longer need to sign a new fixed contract to avoid a rent rise

For landlords, the Act requires:

• Better planning around rent reviews
• Evidence-based pricing aligned with local markets
• Compliance with a strict legal process

The National Residential Landlords Association has outlined how landlords will need to adapt under the new framework on their campaign page.

Example: How the New Rules Work

If your rent is £950 per month and your landlord increases it to £1,050:

• The landlord must issue a Section 13 notice
• The increase must be at least two months away
• No further increase can happen for another year
• If £1,050 is above local market rent, you can challenge it at tribunal

Once decided, the rent set by the tribunal applies for the full 12-month period.

Final Thoughts

The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 brings meaningful protection for tenants by restricting rent increases to once per year and tying them firmly to local market values. While landlords can still increase rent, they must now justify it and follow a strict legal process.

For renters, this means greater stability, more time to plan financially, and stronger rights when rent rises feel unreasonable. Understanding these new rules is essential if you are facing a rent increase.