Tenant fees and permitted payments

Rent

As advertised or agreed

Rent cannot be asked for, encouraged or accepted before the tenancy agreement is signed. After signing, no more than one month's rent in advance can be required. A landlord cannot accept or encourage offers above the advertised rent.

Holding deposit

Maximum one week's rent

One holding deposit per tenancy, not per applicant. It reserves the property while checks are carried out, and there are specific rules about when it must be refunded.

Tenancy deposit

Maximum five weeks' rent below £50,000 annual rent; six weeks from £50,000 to £100,000

A deposit, not a fee. It must be protected in a government-approved scheme within 30 days, and you must be given the prescribed information about where it is held.

Changing the tenancy at the tenant's request

Up to £50, or the reasonable costs actually incurred if higher

Anything above £50 must be evidenced as reasonably incurred, for example to add or replace a tenant.

Ending the tenancy without the required notice

No more than the rent that would otherwise have been received

The charge cannot exceed the rent the landlord would have received had the correct notice been given.

Replacement key or security device

The reasonable actual cost, evidenced in writing

Only the cost of replacing the key or device, supported by written evidence of what it cost.

Late rent

Maximum 3% above the Bank of England base rate on the overdue amount

Only once the rent is at least 14 days overdue, and only where the tenancy agreement provides for it. It is charged on the overdue sum, not on the whole rent.

Utilities, communications and council tax

Only as specified in the tenancy agreement

These are ordinary running costs where the agreement makes them the tenant's responsibility. They are not agency charges.