Form 4A Rent Increase Notice Tool
Fill Form 4A, the official MHCLG rent increase form, for a privately rented assured tenancy. From 1 May 2026, the prescribed notice is the only lawful way to propose a higher figure. Informal emails and rent-review clauses do not replace it.
Free to generate on Lendlord
Private rented · prescribed notice
Form 4A is for English private assured lets, not every UK tenancy.
Use Form 4A for privately rented assured tenancies under the English private rented rules. Social lets use Form 4. Wales uses Form RHW12, Scotland uses the PRT notice, and Northern Ireland uses a separate written notice. The wrong form does not move the rent.
The three tests that void the notice
Housing Act 1988 s.13(2), as amended by the Renters' Rights Act 2025, controls the date in question 4.6. Fail any test and the proposed figure does not take effect.
- 2 months
- Minimum gap between service and when the rise takes effect
- 52 weeks
- After tenancy start or the last rise (53 in some cases)
- Period day
- Must begin on a rent-period day, not mid-cycle
Form 4A is the prescribed landlord's notice proposing a higher rent for assured tenancies in the private rented sector. It sits under GOV.UK guidance for landlords and the assured tenancy forms pack.
GOV.UK is explicit: you must use this statutory process every time, even if the tenant has already agreed the figure. A review clause agreed before 1 May 2026 but due after that date does not apply. You start again on Form 4A.
Changing the prescribed wording can invalidate the paperwork. That is why Lendlord fills the Crown fields, not a homemade letter that looks similar.
The generator produces the Crown PDF. The two-month clock still runs from service. Keep a copy with your letting documents, record whether you served in person, by post, or by email if the agreement allows, and diary the challenge window. Pair it with a periodic agreement that already strips void review clauses.
Why landlords look for Form 4A
After 1 May 2026, private landlords need the prescribed paperwork for assured tenancies, not a WhatsApp thread. These are the failure modes the generator is built around.
Wrong paperwork
Form 4 is for social housing. A covering letter is not enough. Only the completed Form 4A counts for a private assured let.
Wrong timing
Less than two months after service, inside the first 52 weeks, or a mid-period day can void the rise. The old figure stays payable.
Agreed, but not served
A yes in email is not enough after 1 May 2026. GOV.UK still requires Form 4A, then proper service with proof.
Tribunal downside
If challenged, the First-tier Tribunal sets open-market rent. Official guidance says that can be lower than or the same as your proposal, not higher.
How to generate Form 4A on Lendlord
Six guided steps from tenancy details to the Crown PDF. Keep evidence of how and when you then serve it.
- 1
Enter tenancy details
Add the tenant's full name and the full property address. Name joint tenants. Pull locked facts from the tenancy record where you can.
- 2
Confirm who is serving
Landlord or agent, with the correct names and addresses. Confirm this is a privately rented assured let under the English rules.
- 3
Set current and proposed figures
Enter what is paid now and the proposed amount. Label frequencies clearly so current and proposed are not confused.
- 4
Lock a lawful effective day
Clear two months from service, the 52-week rule, and the start of a rent period. Use the 11 February 2003 anniversary field so the day does not drift earlier each year.
- 5
Declare charges in the rent
Say what is included. If the tenant pays council tax to the council, leave those boxes blank. Blank means nil on the official form.
- 6
Review, sign capacity, then serve
Preview the MHCLG PDF. Print name and capacity sit on the form. Service is separate: in person, post, or email only if the tenancy allows. The clock runs from service, not from the day typed on the form.
Tick these before the notice leaves your desk. Invalid paperwork resets the clock.
- Let is a privately rented assured tenancy under the English rules (not social Form 4)
- At least 52 weeks since the tenancy began, or since the last rise took effect
- Proposed day is at least two months after service
- Proposed day is the beginning of a rent period
- Current and proposed figures, plus names, match your records
- You have a copy of the completed Form 4A ready to keep
- Service method is allowed (in person, post, or email if the agreement allows)
- You will record when it was served and keep proof
Form 4A vs shortcuts that no longer work
After 1 May 2026, only the prescribed route moves the rent on a privately rented assured tenancy under these rules.
Form 4A (statutory notice)
Prescribed MHCLG form. Two months after service. Once a year after year one. The tenant can refer the figure to the tribunal before it takes effect.
Informal email or WhatsApp
Not the statutory notice. Agreement in a thread does not replace Form 4A. GOV.UK still requires the form every time.
Old review clause
Review clauses for new rises after 1 May 2026 do not apply. A clause agreed before 1 May but due after that date also fails. Use Form 4A.
Form 4A questions landlords ask
Is Form 4A the same as a Section 13 notice?
Yes for privately rented assured tenancies under these rules. Form 4A is the prescribed form used to serve that statutory notice. Download the current PDF from the GOV.UK assured tenancy forms page, or generate it in Lendlord.
Can I still use Form 4?
Not for a private let. GOV.UK says do not use Form 4 if the property is rented privately; use Form 4A. Form 4 remains for social housing. A Form 4 notice served before 1 May 2026 can still stand on its own terms.
How much notice do I need?
At least two months between service and when the rise takes effect. It must also wait until 52 weeks after the tenancy began or after the last rise, and it must begin at the start of a rent period.
Do I need Form 4A if the tenant already agreed?
Yes. GOV.UK says you need to follow this process every time, even if you have already agreed the figure with your tenants.
What if the tenant challenges the figure?
They can apply to the First-tier Tribunal for an open-market determination before the day shown on the notice. Official guidance says the tribunal can set a rent lower than or the same as the amount you proposed. They do not have to pay the new amount until the tribunal decides. See also our Section 13 and tribunal guide.
Does Form 4A work in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland?
No. Form 4A is the English private-rented prescribed form. Wales uses Form RHW12, Scotland uses the PRT notice, and Northern Ireland uses its own written notice rules.
Pair Form 4A with a compliant periodic agreement. Use the solicitor-backed tenancy agreement generator for the written terms, then use Form 4A when the rent needs to move.
For the wider process and tribunal path, read the Section 13 notice guide. Official sources stay on GOV.UK rent increases and the Form 4A PDF.
Generate your Form 4A notice
Open the free generator, walk the official fields, and download the MHCLG PDF ready to serve. Keep proof of service. The clock starts when the tenant receives it.