Tenancy Variation & Rent Review Articles
Practical guides to rent review under Housing Act 1988 ss.13–14, the new Form 4A notice from 1 May 2026, succession-terms variation on Form 1A under the Rent Act 1977, and tenant challenges to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) on Form 2A.
Challenging a Form 4A Rent Increase at the FTT Property Chamber: The New Rules From 1 May 2026
Litigant-in-person playbook for challenging a Form 4A Section 13 rent-increase notice at the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber). Covers the £47 fee, the no-upward-determination rule, the 12-month cooldown, and what the tribunal looks at.
Rent-Tribunal Evidence: How to Assemble Comparables That Hold Up
How to put together a comparable evidence pack for a First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) rent challenge. Covers asking rents vs agreed rents, RICS valuer member practice, condition factors, and the working five-to-ten comparable target.
Section 13 Notice Timing: The Clear Month, the New Rent Date, and the 12-Month Rule
Guide to the three timing rules that govern every Form 4A rent-increase notice — the clear-month requirement, rent-period alignment, and the 12-month cooldown codified by the Renters' Rights Act 2025.
The £47 Fee, EX160 Remission, and Why the Tribunal Can Only Revise Rent Down
Why the rent-tribunal application calculus has shifted decisively in the tenant's favour from 1 May 2026 — £47 fee set by SI, full remission via EX160, and the new statutory bar on upward determinations.
Disrepair as a Rent-Tribunal Factor: How Poor Condition Cuts the Market Rent
How visible disrepair, damp, mould, dated specification and breaches of the Decent Homes Standard reduce the market rent the tribunal will set. Covers the Section 14 valuation principle, evidence-gathering, and the typical discount ranges.