How to fill in Form 4A, question by question

The short answer

Form 4A has four parts you complete: the tenant’s details (section 1), your details (section 2), your agent’s details if you have one (section 3), and the rent (section 4), followed by your signature. Most mistakes happen in section 4, especially question 4.6, the date the new rent starts. That date must meet the three rules in Note A of the form.

This guide takes you through every question, using a completed example. It is based on the gov.uk form (version 05.26) and is general information for landlords in England, not legal advice.

Before you start

Since 1 May 2026, Form 4A is the only way to increase the rent for a private assured periodic tenancy in England. Keep these points in mind:

• You can increase the rent no more than once a year using this notice.
• You must serve the notice at least two months before the new rent starts.
• The new rent must start on the first day of a rent period.
• Form 4A is for the private rented sector in England only. Social landlords use Form 4. Assured agricultural occupancies use Form 5 or Form 5A.

Have these to hand: the tenancy agreement, the date the tenancy began, the date of any past rent increases, and the details of any bills included in the rent.

The example we will use

Section 1: the tenant’s details

1.1 Name(s) of tenant(s). Write the full name of every tenant. If it is a joint tenancy, list each of them. In our example, write both Sam Patel and Alex Patel.

1.2 Address of the premises. Give the full address of the rented property, including the postcode. Use the address as it appears in the tenancy agreement, including any flat number.

Section 2: the landlord’s details

2.1 Name. Your full name, or the names of all joint landlords. The tenant needs to be able to contact someone about the proposed increase.

2.2 Contact address. An address where the tenant can reach you.

2.3 Phone number and email. These are recommended but optional. If you give an email address, the form says you agree that the tenant and the tribunal may use it to serve documents on you. Only include an email you check.

Section 3: the agent’s details (if applicable)

Complete questions 3.1 to 3.3 only if a letting agent acts for you. The same point about email applies: giving an email address means the tenant and the tribunal may serve documents on the agent by email. Leave this section blank if you manage the property yourself.

Section 4: the rent

This is the part that decides whether your notice works.

4.1 Current rent

Write the current rent and how often it is paid, for example “£1,200 per month”. The form calls this the tenancy period. It must be a month or less: weekly, fortnightly, four-weekly or monthly.

4.2 The tenancy started on

The date the tenancy began. In our example, 15 December 2025. This date matters for two reasons. It sets the 52-week minimum for a first increase, and it fixes the day each rent period starts.

4.3 The most recent rent increase

If there has been a rent increase since the tenancy started, give the date it took effect. If not, leave it blank. In our example, it stays blank.

4.4 The first rent increase after 11 February 2003

This question decides whether you must wait 52 or 53 weeks after the last increase. If there has been no increase since 11 February 2003, leave it blank. Our example leaves it blank.

If you do fill it in, check the anniversary rule in Note A3. If the 52-week date falls more than six days before the anniversary of this date, you must wait 53 weeks. See worked example 3 in our date guide for how this works.

4.5 The proposed new rent

Write the new rent and how often it will be paid. It must be for the same period as the current rent. In our example: “£1,260 per month”.

4.6 The new rent will start on

This date must meet all three requirements in Note A:

1. A2: at least two months after the tenant receives the notice.
2. A3: at least 52 weeks after the tenancy began (first increase) or after the last increase. Sometimes 53 weeks.
3. A4: the first day of a rent period.

Here is the calculation for our example. Our tools allow two business days for first class post. This is a conservative planning allowance, not a statutory deemed-service rule.

So question 4.6 reads 15 December 2026. Writing 14 December 2026 would pass the first two checks but fail the third.

4.7 Charges included in the rent

The table in 4.7 lists five types of charge: council tax, water charges, electricity, gas or other fuel, communication services, and fixed service charges. For each, give the existing charge and the proposed new charge, per tenancy period.

Note B of the form explains what to include:

• Only include charges that are part of the rent. Leave out anything the tenant pays directly to a supplier, or pays you on top of the rent.
• Write “nil” where nothing is included, or the amount (which may be the same as now).
• Only include service charges where the tenant agreed a fixed amount in the tenancy agreement.
• Do not include variable service charges that change based on costs.
• Communication services can include a landline, internet, cable TV and satellite TV.

In our example the tenants pay all bills directly, so every row reads “nil” in both columns.

Signing the notice

Tick whether you are the landlord or the landlord’s agent, then sign and date the notice. Joint landlords can each sign in the additional signatures box, or agree that one of them signs for everyone. Sign before you serve.

Sections 5 and Notes A and B

You do not fill in section 5 or the notes, but they must be included. Section 5 tells the tenant what to do next. It explains how to accept the new rent, how to agree a lower rent (or no increase) with you, and how to refer the rent to the First-tier Tribunal before the start date. Do not remove or edit these pages.

Serving the notice

Serve a copy on every tenant named in question 1.1 and keep a copy yourself. If the tenancy agreement sets out how notices must be served, follow it. Otherwise, the form says you can hand it over in person, leave it at the tenant’s address or send it by registered post. Only use email if the tenancy agreement allows it. Keep proof of how and when you served it. See how to serve a notice.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Leaving out a joint tenant in question 1.1.
• Using a different rent period in 4.5 from the one in 4.1.
• A start date in 4.6 that is not the first day of a rent period.
• Counting the two months from the posting date instead of the date of receipt.
• Including bills in 4.7 that the tenant pays directly to a supplier.
• Forgetting to sign, or serving an unsigned copy.

Frequently asked questions

Can I fill in Form 4A by hand?

The form must contain the right content and be completed correctly. Our Section 13 notice page fills it in for you, based on the gov.uk form, and checks your dates before you download.

Does the proposed rent have to be reasonable?

You can propose any figure, but your tenant can refer it to the First-tier Tribunal. The tribunal decides what the property would let for on the open market. The tenant will not have to pay more than the rent you proposed. See what happens if a tenant challenges a rent increase.

What if I do not know the date of the first increase after 11 February 2003?

Check your records and past notices. The date matters because it decides whether 52 or 53 weeks must pass. If you cannot establish it, take advice before serving.

Should I put my email address on the form?

It is optional. If you include it, you agree that the tenant and the tribunal may use it to serve documents on you. Only include it if you check that inbox.

Can my letting agent sign the notice?

Yes. Tick “Landlord’s Agent” and complete section 3 with the agent’s details.

Can I change the date after serving the notice?

No. If the date is wrong, serve a new notice with a valid date. Before the start date, your tenant can also agree with you a lower rent than the one proposed, or that the rent stays the same.

Next steps

• Create your notice on the Section 13 notice (Form 4A) page.
• Check the start date first with the free Section 13 rent increase date calculator.
• See more date scenarios in how to work out the earliest rent increase date.

If your tenant disputes the increase, speak to a solicitor; tenants can get advice from Shelter.