Landlords raise rents after Renters’ Rights Act implementation

I’m putting rents up and will explain to tenants why. If they don’t understand and go to tribunal, the property will be sold.

If I can’t make a decent return for the risk involved, I’ll invest elsewhere.

If you got to a tribunal you may still need data. AI can collect publicly available data for you very quickly. Some property websites also allow you to download to excel. For example, I think that there is such a facility on Rightmove at this link:

https://rightmovecsv.com/guides/rightmove-spreadsheet

Hi Crouchender,

It’s worth a second look at the Form 4A approach you and Vanessa describe: a figure on the form above the one you’ve actually agreed, tenant invited to counter-offer by email. Since 1 May it cuts against you.

Under section 14 as amended, if the tenant applies to the tribunal the new rent is the lower of the rent you proposed and the open market rent. They can confirm or cut your figure, never raise it. There’s no backdating either. So an inflated figure buys no headroom. It just sets your ceiling.

The email is the bit I’d worry about. “The form will say more, come back with the figure we agreed” is written evidence, in your own words, that your notice figure wasn’t your genuine view of market rent. In front of a tribunal that undercuts the comparables you’re leaning on.

There’s a practical mess too. If the tenant doesn’t apply, the rent legally becomes the form figure. Whether a side email displaces it isn’t settled, and section 13 is the only route now. So either your notice is a dead letter or your tenant is building arrears at the difference, which is awkward if you ever need three months owed for Ground 8. It’s also one notice per twelve months, so a defective one locks you out till next year.

OJ
Am I a Legal Landlord

Reply to the comment left by Oliver Tandy at 02/11/2026 – 22:53
My tenants are a lovely bunch anyway, so im lucky. I actually agree the rent on the phone, apply the higher figure on the form. I research more than ive ever had to do and keep notes (another pain in the arse). I have explained the new rules in a house meeting (all had a good laugh about it, with one tenant saying he wanted a red fox as a pet, then inundated with pics if red foxes by whatsapp!). I reiterate the new rules on the phone and in an email. Having agreed the “below market rent” over the phone, my form A just boosters the fact that if they should think of blackmailing me, I will be applying at the Tribunal what I regard as the true (researched) market rent. They effectively are getting a new rent which by agreement is set below market rent byt a rent that im happy with and so is the tenant (hopefully, unless ive got someone who might be persuaded by one of these charities to challenge every rent increase with the intention of clogging the system!). They then reply by email saying will you accept x and i say yes! I don’t think what you’ve suggested us a problem.

Reply to the comment left by Oliver Tandy at 02/11/2026 – 22:53
Incidentally, even if i did put into my email to the tenant, we agreed on x but my form will say x plus y i don’t think this is a problem either. What i will be confirming to the tenant is that I am happy to accept a below market rent rise if they agree! Dont think that’s a problem either, but interested in your view

Reply to the comment left by Vanessa Shenton at 03/11/2026 – 07:37
Once they accept your lower rent increase offer figure than whats on form 4A then they can no longer challenge at tribunal

Reply to the comment left by Vanessa Shenton at 03/11/2026 – 07:37
I doubt that my agent would encourage me to accept a below market rent rise anymore. Ten years ago maybe, not now.

Reply to the comment left by Beaver at 03/11/2026 – 09:30
The point is…what the hello is market rate? Agents won’t know any more than Lls but they will charge for the benefit of guessing!! Might as well pull a figure out of a hat. LLs will edge towards the higher end of comparables, challenging tenants will go for the lower end. Somewhere in the middle lies the truth. That’s what I aim for, maybe slightly less to keep my tenants happy but the form will say a justifiably higher just in case.

I have a vacant room right now an its not a good time of year! However, anyone whose opening gambit to my ad is “will you take an offer” can go do one. The door will be permanently shut to anyone I believe might be a chancer, anyone who does not command a descent enough salary (opps, sorry, including those on benefits that can satisfy my strict and objectively fair financial criteria!), anyone who cannot provide LL reference etc.

Reply to the comment left by Crouchender at 03/11/2026 – 07:45
I am sure they could try and Tribunals likely to bend over backwards to side with the tenant but it doesn’t make it easy for them!

Reply to the comment left by Vanessa Shenton at 03/11/2026 – 10:10
You don’t have to pull a figure out of a hat. AI will scrape the available online information for you and provide it to you with references. And it will do it for you in seconds.