Tenant Fees Act 2019: guidance for tenants

The TenantThe Tenant Fees Act 2019 defines what2019 fees and payments yourdefines what fees and payments your landlord can ask youcan ask you to pay. This guidance tells you what happensguidance tells you what happens if you are asked to pay,to or havepay, paid aor have paid a fee that is not allowed. allowed.

‘Landlord’ in this document also means lettingmeans letting agent, estate agent orestate agent or a building management organisation – it’s usuallyorganisation – it’s usually the person who you pay the rent to. to.

You haveYou to payhave all allowedto pay all allowed fees in full and on time.  time. 

These are the fees that your landlord is allowed to charge you:  you: 

• the rent, if youthe and yourrent, landlord haveif you and your landlord have signed the tenancy agreement agreement

• a refundable tenancy deposit deposit

• a refundable holding deposit to reserve a property  property 

• a payment to change the tenancy when you askwhen to you ask to

• a payment when you leave awhen you leave a tenancy without giving enough notice giving enough notice

• a paymenta towards utilitypayment bills and communicationtowards services  utility bills and communication services 

• a fee for latefor payment oflate rent  payment of rent 

• a fee for replacing a key or security device device

If your landlord asks you for any money formoney something that isfor not onsomething that is not on this list, orlist, or if you have already paid a fee that might be incorrect thenincorrect you can: then you can:

• tell your landlord the fee is not allowed allowed

• make amake a record of anyof any requests for payment payment

• get advice fromadvice from Shelter or Citizens AdviceCitizens Advice 

Rent Rent

The rent must not be more than the advertised amount andamount your landlord mustand your landlord must clearly explain to you what is included whenincluded when agreeing to rent the property. property.

The rent shouldrent should be fair and infair and in line with other similarother properties insimilar properties in the area. area.

You should not pay any rentpay any rent before you sign asign tenancy agreement.  a tenancy agreement. 

After youAfter you have signed the tenancy agreement, youragreement, landlord can askyour to youlandlord pay acan ask to you pay a maximum of 1 month’s rent beforeof 1 month’s rent before the tenancy start date. Thisstart date. This is known as ‘rentas ‘rent in advance’. After this,advance’. After this, the rent will be due on a regular schedule, usually monthlyschedule, usually monthly or weekly. weekly.

You can read thecan read the rent in advance guidanceadvance guidance for more information. information.

Refundable tenancy deposit deposit

You might have to pay a tenancya deposit. This coverstenancy any possibledeposit. damage toThis covers any possible damage to the property and can becan returned whenbe returned when you move out. out.

The maximum amountThe maximum amount you would have to pay depends onpay depends on the annual (yearly) rent. annual (yearly) rent.

• If the annual rent is below £50,000 thebelow £50,000 the maximum deposit is up to 5 weeks’to rent 5 weeks’ rent

• If the annual rentannual is between £50,000 and £100,000 therent is between £50,000 and £100,000 the maximum deposit is updeposit to 6 weeks’ rent is up to 6 weeks’ rent

Your landlord has to keep yourlandlord has to keep your deposit money safe by protecting itmoney in asafe by protecting it in a government approved scheme.

Refundable holdingRefundable deposit holding deposit

You might have to pay a holding depositholding deposit to reserve the property while the landlord doeslandlord predoes tenancypre-tenancy checks.  checks. 

The maximum holding deposit amount is equal to 1 week’sto rent.  1 week’s rent. 

Your landlord can hold the deposit for 15 days,15 unless theydays, unless they have agreed aagreed a longer or shorter timeshorter period with you intime writing. period with you in writing.

You should always get your holding deposit money back unless: unless:

• you give false or misleading information to try totry get theto tenancy  get the tenancy 

• you change your mind andmind and decide not to rent that property property

• you do not reply toreply to requests for information, documents orinformation, action documents or action

• you fail a a Right to Rent check 

If your landlordIf your landlord keeps the holding deposit theyholding must telldeposit they must tell you why inwhy in writing within 7 days. days.

If your landlord returns the holding deposit theyIf must giveyour landlord returns the holding deposit they must give it back withinback within 7 days. Youdays. could agree forYou this amount to be paid towards your firstcould agree for this amount to be paid towards your first month’s rent orrent or the tenancy deposit. deposit.

If you don’t receiveyou don’t receive the decision within 7 days, or inwithin writing, or7 days, or in writing, or if you disagreeyou with thedisagree with the reasons for notfor not returning the deposit, youdeposit, you can challenge this by reportingby reporting it to: to:

• your local council local council

• the First-tier Tribunal (aTribunal (a type of court that can deal with housing issues) issues)

Before you pay a holding deposit youdeposit should read andyou should read and keep a copy of the tenancythe agreement and maketenancy agreement and make sure you knowyou about theknow about the deposits that you will need to pay. pay.

Utilities and other bills bills

The costs of utilities like gas,utilities like gas, electricity, water bills and services like broadbandservices like broadband and a landline phone canphone be included in your rentcan payment.  be included in your rent payment.

Your landlord can also require you to pay somepay some utilities and other bills separately.  bills separately. 

If someIf or all of these bills aresome included, they mustor all of these bills are included, they must be listed as terms in your tenancylisted as terms in your tenancy agreement. Any bills included must reflect the actual costs.

You areYou are responsible for payingfor paying any bills that are not included in the rent.  rent. 

Council Tax tax

Your landlord can include a payment forpayment for council tax within the rent where this is agreed within the tenancy agreement.   agreement.  

If payments for council tax are not included in the rent, yourrent, your landlord can require youcan require you to pay council tax to the relevant local council.   council.  

However, your landlordHowever, your landlord cannot require yourequire you to make amake a separate payment topayment them forto them for council tax.   tax.  

Television Licence licence

Your landlord can include a payment for a Televisiontelevision Licencelicence within the rent where this is agreed within the tenancy agreement. agreement.

If a payment for a Television Licencetelevision licence is not included in the rent, your landlord can require you to make payment forto a make payment for a television licence.  . 

However, your landlord cannot require you to make a separate payment to them for a Television Licence. television licence.

Fees for tenancy changes  changes 

When you askWhen for ayou ask for a change to the tenancy agreement (for example, to addto or remove aadd or remove a person) you can be charged upyou can be charged up to £50 for the work involved or ainvolved or a higher amount if theamount if the work costs more. more.

If yourIf your landlord asks you toyou pay more than £50 toto pay more than £50 to change your tenancy youtenancy should ask your landlord for proof of theyou should ask your landlord for proof of the higher cost. If youcost. think theIf you think the costs are not reasonable, youreasonable, you can report yourreport landlord toyour your local council. landlord to your local council.

Payments when you end the tenancy without giving the correct amount of notice   notice  

If you give less than the minimum amount of notice to end the tenancy, your landlord can require a payment. This cannot becannot be more than the amount of rent due until the minimum notice period ends (2 months(2 months starting on the day rent is due). due).

You can talk to your landlord andlandlord and ask for a shorter notice period. period.

Default fees  fees 

Your landlord must include any default fees you are expected to pay in the tenancy agreement.

You can be charged acan be charged a default fee: fee:

• for replacementfor replacement keys, security devices or fobs givingfobs giving access to the property the property

• for latefor payment oflate rent payment of rent

Replacement keys,Replacement security devices orkeys, fobs   security devices or fobs  

You are responsibleYou for lookingare responsible for looking after the keys for the property throughout the tenancy.  tenancy. 

You can be charged thecan be charged the cost of replacing a key or other securityor device. other security device.

Your landlord must providelandlord must provide evidence in writing to show the costs ofto replacements areshow reasonable.  the costs of replacements are reasonable. 

Late payment ofLate rent payment of rent

Your rent must be overduebe overdue by at least 2 weeks before you can be charged interest. can be charged interest.

The maximum amountThe maximum amount of interest is 3%is above the 3% above the Bank of England base rate. .

The interest is payable on the amount of rent thatrent that you owe forowe for the amount of timeof time that you owe it. it.

Example:  Example: 

You owe £500 forowe £500 for 1 month. Ifmonth. the Bank of England baseIf rate was 3%, thethe maximum annual rate wouldBank be 6%. Theof annual (yearly amount) isEngland base rate was 3%, the maximum annual rate would be 6%. The annual (yearly amount) is £30 (£500 * 0.06(£500 * 0.06 = £30)  £30) 

The dailyThe daily amount of interest is 8pis 8p (£30 / 365 days =365 0.08p) so 1 month of interestdays = 0.08p) so 1 month of interest (£2.40) can be added to the amount that you owe. owe.

You should always tell your landlord as soon as you knowyou know of any issues with your rentyour payment. rent payment.

If you needIf you need help with budgeting or managing your money youmoney you can talk to Shelter, Citizens AdviceCitizens Advice, , StepChange, or, or your local council mightcouncil might be able to help. help.

Prohibited payments payments

If your landlord charges youlandlord charges you a fee that is not allowed this is called a prohibited payment. payment.

There are loans,are insurance and contractsloans, insurance and contracts that can help tenants fortenants example:  for example: 

• a professional guarantor service service

• contents insurance insurance

• a deposit replacement product product

• an inventory service service

You can choose to use any of these things, but your landlord islandlord is not allowed toallowed to make you payyou for apay for a loan, pay for insurance orfor insurance or start a contract for a service as part of your tenancy. tenancy.

Your landlord may also ask for you to provide a guarantor. If a guarantor agreement was entered into before 1 May 2026, then the terms of that agreement may be affected by the tenancy reforms included in the Renters Rights Act. Guarantors should consider reviewing any existing guarantor agreements in place and obtain the consent of the landlord to any variations to the agreement that may be required.

You or your guarantor may wish to seek independent legal advice if you are unclear whether a guarantor agreement is affected.

If your landlord asks you for a feeyou for a fee that is not allowed, you should refuse torefuse to pay it and youand should keepyou should keep any evidence.   evidence.  

If you have alreadyyou paid a feehave already paid a fee that is not allowed younot can ask yourallowed landlord toyou give thecan ask your landlord to give the money back andback and keep a record ofrecord of any response. response.

You can contact your localcan council whocontact can investigate prohibitedyour payments and canlocal council who can investigate prohibited payments and can help you get the money back. Theyback. They can also make your landlord pay a fine. fine.

Your council may ask you for: for:

• proof ofproof of the money you paid orpaid or were asked to pay pay

• any records of communicationsof communications about the prohibitedthe payment prohibited payment

• a statement froma statement from you describing what happened  happened 

You can also apply toalso a First-Tier Tribunal. This isapply a typeto of courta First-Tier Tribunal. This is a type of court that can dealcan deal with housing issues. They canThey order your landlordcan to repay anyorder your landlord to repay any prohibited payment.   payment.  

If a letting agent asked for afor a prohibited payment, you can reportpayment, you can report them to the letting agent redress schemes:

• The Property Ombudsman

• Property Redress 

You can get free help adviceget and support from:free help advice and support from: Shelter or Citizens AdviceCitizens Advice