What a landlord can and cannot charge
It is illegal for landlords and letting agents to charge tenants fees for anything other than permitted payments.
A landlord is allowed to charge you for (permitted payments):
- rent
- holding deposits (capped at one week’s rent)
- security deposits (capped to five weeks’ rent)
- utility bills and council tax
- default fees, including key loss and rent arrears (reasonable charges)
- changes to a tenancy at the tenant’s request, capped at £50
- fees for leaving a tenancy early, known as termination charges (to cover actual loss suffered by the landlord)
To work out your weekly rent, multiply your monthly rent by 12, then divide this sum by 52. Always make payments in a way that you can trace, for example a bank transfer. If you pay by cash, get a receipt.
A landlord is not allowed to charge you for (prohibited payments):
- administration fees
- contract negotiation fees
- application fees
- inventory charges
- set up fees
- referencing fees
- check-in and check-out fees
- credit check fees
- renewal fees
- guarantor fees
- end of tenancy fees
- permitted occupier fees
- default professional cleaning fee
- right to rent fees
Do not pay these fees, even if they are on the property advert or in your tenancy agreement. If you have been charged a prohibited payment contact the Citizens Advice consumer service on 0808 223 1133 or use their online reporting form.
Protection from eviction
If you’ve paid a prohibited payment, you cannot be evicted under a S.21 notice until the prohibited payment has been returned to you.
You can however still be evicted for other reasons, via a S.8 notice, for things like rent arrears, or breach of tenancy term.