Lendlord has introduced a free tool designed to help landlords prepare the Form 4A notice required when increasing rents on assured periodic tenancies in England.
The property management and finance platform said its Rent Increase Notice tool takes landlords through the information required for the section 13 process, including the existing and proposed rent, relevant dates and any charges included in the rent.
Form 4A replaced Form 4 for privately rented assured tenancies in England following changes that took effect on 1 May 2026, with landlords required to follow the formal section 13 process when raising rents.
The requirement applies even where a tenant has agreed to the proposed increase. Informal notifications such as emails or WhatsApp messages cannot replace the prescribed process, while rent-review clauses agreed before 1 May 2026 but taking effect after that date do not apply.
NOTICE REQUIREMENTS
Landlords must give tenants at least two months’ notice before a new rent takes effect. Rent cannot be increased during the first year of a tenancy, with subsequent increases required to be at least 52 weeks apart, or 53 weeks in some circumstances.
The increased rent must also begin at the start of a tenancy period. A tenant whose monthly tenancy begins on the 20th of the month, for example, can only have a new rent take effect on the 20th.
Tenants can challenge a proposed increase at the First-tier Tribunal before its proposed start date. Following a challenge, they cannot be required to pay more than the rent originally proposed by the landlord.
Lendlord’s tool generates the official Form 4A after landlords enter or confirm the relevant tenancy information. It is integrated with the platform’s tenancy records and Compliance Hub, allowing information already held by Lendlord to be used when preparing the notice.
The completed notice can be electronically signed and shared digitally with the tenant where the tenancy agreement permits that method of service.
Aviram Shahar, co-founder and chief executive of Lendlord, said: “Landlords need to understand that agreeing a rent increase with a tenant does not replace the formal notice process. For assured periodic tenancies in England, using the correct form and getting the timing right are essential.
“We have made the Form 4A tool free to help landlords prepare the official notice using tenancy information already held in Lendlord, reducing the administration involved. Landlords still need to check the details and serve the notice correctly.
“The process should provide clarity for both sides: landlords need to know when an increase can take effect, while tenants need proper notice and a clear understanding of their rights.”
The English Housing Survey 2024-25 puts the size of England’s private rented sector at 4.7 million households.
