There is no single legal rent increase percentage for 2026. There is no government-set 3%, 5% or 8% uplift that a landlord can apply across every property, and there is no national average that automatically proves an individual increase is reasonable. For England’s private rented sector, the right answer is more commercial and more disciplined: set a rent that is supported by the local open market, use the correct statutory process, and keep a clear evidence trail. That is h