Guides
Plain-English explainers for the rules that changed on 1 May 2026 – written for landlords, agents and tenants rather than lawyers, checked against the legislation and GOV.UK guidance, and kept under review as Phase 2 of the reforms arrives. Each guide links to the Section 13 rent increase date calculator that does the date work for you.
How to serve a Section 13 rent increase, step by step
The whole process from deciding the figure to proof of service: Form 4A, the date rules, deemed service and record-keeping.
Read the guide →What makes a Section 13 notice invalid?
The errors that void notices in practice – wrong form, wrong date, wrong rent period – and what happens when a notice fails.
Read the guide →How tenants challenge a rent increase at the First-tier Tribunal
The deadline, the referral process, what the tribunal decides, and why challenging is now risk-free on the rent itself.
Read the guide →Rent review clauses are void: what landlords should do instead
Why index-linked and fixed-uplift clauses stopped working on 1 May 2026, and how to plan annual increases under Section 13.
Read the guide →The 12-month rule explained
How the 52-week gap is measured, how it interacts with the two months’ notice, and how tribunal referrals shift the clock.
Read the guide →Phase 2 preview: the PRS Database and the Ombudsman
What is expected later in 2026, who may need to register, and what landlords can do to prepare.
Read the guide →