In England, a letting agent or landlord can only charge you for rent, a capped tenancy deposit, a capped holding deposit, lost keys, late rent, changes you ask for, leaving without proper notice, and certain bills. Anything else, such as referencing, admin or check-out fees, is banned under the Tenant Fees Act 2019, and you can get it back.
The full list of allowed payments in England
GOV.UK says landlords and agents cannot charge any payment that is not on this list:
| Payment | The limit |
|---|---|
| Rent | Only once you’ve both signed the tenancy agreement. After signing, at most 1 month’s rent before the tenancy starts. |
| Tenancy deposit (refundable) | Up to 5 weeks’ rent if the annual rent is below £50,000; up to 6 weeks’ rent if it is £50,000 to £100,000. |
| Holding deposit (refundable) | Up to 1 week’s rent. |
| Changing the tenancy when you ask | Up to £50, or more only if the landlord shows the higher cost is reasonable. |
| Leaving without the correct notice | No more than the rent due until the minimum notice period would have ended. |
| Lost keys or security devices (default fee) | The reasonable cost of replacement, with written evidence. |
| Late rent (default fee) | Only once rent is at least 2 weeks overdue; interest of no more than 3% above the Bank of England base rate. |
| Utilities, communication services, council tax, TV licence | Can be included in the rent, or you can be required to pay them. See the rules below. |
Default fees for keys and late rent only apply if they are written into your tenancy agreement.
Agents must publish their fees on their website. If they advertise on a site like Rightmove, Zoopla or Facebook, the advert must list the fees or link to them.
Bills, council tax and the TV licence
Gas, electricity, water, broadband and a landline can be included in your rent. If they are, they must be listed in your tenancy agreement and reflect the actual costs. Your landlord can also require you to pay some bills separately.
Council tax and the TV licence work differently. Your landlord can include them in the rent if the agreement says so. If not, they can require you to pay the council or TV Licensing yourself. They cannot make you pay them a separate, extra charge for either.
Fees that are banned
Shelter lists examples of fees landlords and agents cannot charge, including:
- references
- administration
- check-out inspections
- credit and immigration checks
Shelter also says a term making you pay for professional cleaning is not fair, and fees like this are banned. GOV.UK adds that a landlord cannot make you take out a loan, buy insurance or sign up for a service, such as an inventory service, deposit replacement product or professional guarantor service. You can choose these if you want, but they can’t be a condition of the tenancy.
The ban covers fees charged to guarantors too.
Late rent interest at today’s rate (fictional example)
The Bank of England base rate (Bank Rate) is 3.75%, checked on 10 October 2026. So the most a landlord can charge in England is 3.75% + 3% = 6.75% a year, on the overdue amount only.
Jo’s rent is £1,300 a month (fictional). They pay a month’s rent 30 days late. Using GOV.UK’s method:
- A year’s interest on £1,300: £1,300 × 6.75% = £87.75
- Per day: £87.75 ÷ 365 = about 24p
- For 30 days: £87.75 ÷ 365 × 30 = £7.21
No fee at all could be charged if the rent were less than 2 weeks late. The base rate can change, so check the Bank of England’s site for the current figure.
The same rent sets Jo’s other caps. Weekly rent is £1,300 × 12 ÷ 52 = £300. The annual rent is £15,600, below £50,000, so the tenancy deposit cap is 5 × £300 = £1,500. The holding deposit cap is £300.
Use the tenancy deposit calculator to check the maximum deposit for your own rent.
How to get your money back
If you’re asked for a fee that isn’t allowed, refuse to pay it and keep evidence. If you’ve already paid:
- Ask for it back in writing, and keep a record of any reply.
- Report it to your local council (trading standards). It can investigate, help you get the money back and fine the landlord or agent.
- Apply to the First-tier Tribunal, which can order the landlord or agent to repay a banned fee.
- Complain to the agent’s redress scheme, The Property Ombudsman or Property Redress. See our guide on how to complain about a letting agent.
Free advice is available from Shelter and Citizens Advice.
Penalties for landlords and agents
A council can fine a landlord or agent up to £5,000 for a first breach. A second breach within 5 years can mean a penalty of up to £30,000 or prosecution. A prosecution can lead to an unlimited fine and is a banning order offence, which can stop them letting or managing property.
Wales has its own law, the Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Wales) Act 2019. It allows rent, a security deposit, a holding deposit and payments in default, plus payments for utilities, council tax, a TV licence and communication services. Other payments are prohibited. This guide otherwise covers England only.
For more on upfront payments, read our guides to holding deposit rules and whether a landlord can ask for rent in advance.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Tenant Fees Act 2019, guidance for tenants, checked 10 October 2026
- GOV.UK: Fees you can charge as part of a tenancy, checked 10 October 2026
- Shelter: Letting agent and tenancy fees, checked 10 October 2026
- Shelter: Can landlords charge for cleaning and gardening?, checked 10 October 2026
- Bank of England: Interest rates and Bank Rate, checked 10 October 2026
- GOV.WALES: Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Wales) Act 2019, guidance for tenants (PDF), checked 10 October 2026
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. Report a possible error.