Rent going up? You can ask the tribunal to check it.
If you have an assured tenancy with a private landlord in England, they have to follow strict rules to raise your rent, and you can apply to the First-tier Tribunal to decide the market rent, as long as you apply before the increase starts. Remedy helps you check the notice, gather the evidence and prepare the application.
The rent increase questions we help with
A rent increase is not final just because your landlord has sent a letter. These are the things renters most often need to check.
Section 13 notices
For notices served since 1 May 2026, a private landlord in England can only raise the rent on an assured tenancy with a Section 13 notice on Form 4A, giving at least 2 months' notice.
Is the notice valid?
The wrong form, too little notice, an increase less than 52 weeks after the last one (or in the first 52 weeks of the tenancy), or a start date that is not the start of a rent period can all make a notice invalid. In a private assured tenancy, a rent review clause on its own no longer raises the rent.
Is it above market rent?
The tribunal decides what your home would let for on the open market. Rents for similar homes nearby, your home's condition and any disrepair your landlord is responsible for can all count.
The MR1 application
Challenges go to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber), online or on paper form MR1. Your application has to reach the tribunal before the date the new rent is due to start.
A high rent in your first six months
If you think the rent you agreed at the start of a new tenancy is above market rent, you may be able to ask the tribunal to look at it within the first six months.
Social housing rent increases
Council and housing association rents follow different rules and forms. Remedy helps you work out which rules apply before you decide what to do.
Send us the notice
Share a photo of the rent increase notice and tell us about your tenancy, over WhatsApp, in any of 140+ languages. Remedy asks the questions that matter, like when the notice arrived and when the new rent starts.
Email connected
3 relevant messages found
Hackney Council searched
No HMO licence found
DPS details confirmed
Protected Oct 12th, 38 days late
HM Land Registry searched
Landlord details confirmedCheck the notice and the deadline
Remedy checks the notice against the rules that apply to your tenancy and works out the date your application must reach the tribunal by, so you do not miss it.
Matter tools
Your informationAssessment
Documents
Next stepsPrepare your application
Remedy helps you gather rents for similar homes nearby and record anything about your home's condition the tribunal may take into account. If you decide to apply, it helps you prepare your MR1 application. You submit it yourself, and the tribunal makes the decision.
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TrustpilotFor a private assured tenancy challenged under the current rules, no. The tribunal sets the market rent if it is lower than the rent your landlord proposed, and otherwise the proposed rent. Different rules apply to social housing and to notices served before 1 May 2026, so Remedy checks which apply to you first.
To challenge a rent increase notice, your application has to reach the tribunal before the date the new rent is due to start. Talking to your landlord does not stop that clock, so it is worth checking the notice as soon as it arrives. To challenge the rent you agreed at the start of a new tenancy, you apply within the first six months of the tenancy.
For a private tenancy where the notice was served on or after 1 May 2026, the rent the tribunal decides is not backdated. It starts from the date in the notice or, if the decision comes after that date, from the first rent period on or after the decision. If paying from then would cause you undue hardship, the tribunal can set a later date, up to 2 months after its decision.
The tribunal fee is £47. There is no fee if you rent social housing or the notice is dated before 1 May 2026, and Help with Fees can reduce or remove it if you have little or no savings and are on certain benefits or a low income.
No. Keep paying your current rent. If the notice turns out to be invalid, the rent stays where it was, but the old rent is still due. If you rent social housing or your notice was served before 1 May 2026, a higher rent the tribunal decides can be backdated to the date in the notice, so it is worth setting the difference aside.
The initial assessment is free, with no payment or card details required. Any paid Remedy service is optional and its price and terms are shown before you agree.
Got a rent increase notice?
Start with a free initial assessment. Remedy helps you check the notice, work out your deadline and prepare your next step.