Private landlords across England are struggling to navigate the new Form 4A, introduced on May 1st, 2026, which has become the sole lawful route for adjusting rental prices on periodic assured tenancies. With over a month of being live, the form's guidance notes have proven difficult to interpret, sparking widespread confusion among landlords.
The complexity lies in the language used, often not straightforward, and genuine ambiguities that existing notes do not fully resolve. This is particularly evident in Question 4.2: 'The tenancy started on…', which proves problematic for properties with long-term tenants who may have signed multiple agreements.
While there's a general understanding among housing practitioners that this question refers to the original start date of the tenancy, rather than the most recent agreement, certain types of renewal could create a new tenancy. This highlights the importance of seeking legal advice in ambiguous cases.
Question 4.3, concerning the date of the most recent rent increase, also causes issues. The guidance instructs leaving this blank if no increase has occurred since the tenancy began; however, if an increase has happened, the date it last changed should be entered – a crucial detail due to the '52-week rule', which prevents landlords from increasing rent more than once a year.
The implications of incorrectly completing Form 4A are severe. An invalid notice has no legal effect, meaning the tenant is not obliged to pay the proposed higher rent. Landlords would then need to restart the process, resetting the notice period and potentially delaying any rent adjustment – a scenario that could be costly for both parties.