Landlord news · 15 September 2026 · England
Rent increase challenges to move to Valuation Office
The government has announced that decisions on Section 13 rent increase challenges in England will move from the First-tier Tribunal to HMRC's Valuation Office. No date has been set, and the current process continues until the change takes effect.
What happened
On 9 September 2026, the government announced that responsibility for deciding challenges to Section 13 rent increase notices in England will transfer from the First-tier Tribunal to HMRC's Valuation Office. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government says the aim is faster decisions and less pressure on the tribunal system.
No timetable has been published, and the Housing Minister has said the change may need further legislation. Until then, a tenant who wants to challenge a rent increase still applies to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) using Form MR1, exactly as they do now. Nothing changes for a Section 13 notice served today.
Several details of the new arrangement are still unconfirmed, including the procedure the Valuation Office will follow, what evidence it will accept, and the route for appealing an initial determination. Any description of how the new process will work in practice is speculation until these are published.
Separately, analysis reported in the trade press indicates referral volumes have risen sharply since the Renters' Rights Act framework began. A review by LonRes of 200 market rent determinations published in July 2026, all decided under the previous rules, found that of the 169 decisions setting out reasons, 47 per cent disclosed missing or limited evidence, a party submitting nothing, or the panel falling back on its own knowledge of the local market.
Who it affects
This affects landlords in England with assured periodic tenancies who serve Section 13 rent increase notices. It does not apply in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, which have separate rent increase rules.
For now, the practical position is unchanged: a challenged notice still goes to the First-tier Tribunal, using the current forms, fees and timescales. The Valuation Office will not take on this role until legislation and a timetable are published.
What to do
- Keep using the current First-tier Tribunal process (Form MR1) for any Section 13 challenge received now.
- When setting a rent increase, prepare a supporting file at the same time: comparable lettings, dates and sources, and a short note on how the figure was reached.
- Check that Form 4A is correctly completed, the two-month notice period is met, and no increase has been applied in the previous 12 months.
- Watch for further government announcements on the Valuation Office transfer, including the procedure, evidence rules and appeal route.
- Check with a solicitor if you are unsure whether a specific notice or tenancy situation is affected.
Source: Property118, 15 September 2026. A plain-English summary of that source, linked so you can read it yourself. It sits beside your solicitor or accountant rather than in place of them: where a decision turns on your own circumstances, ask them.
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