What fees can a landlord or letting agent charge in England?

Since the Tenant Fees Act, the only payments a landlord or agent can charge a tenant in England are: the rent; a refundable tenancy deposit (capped at 5 weeks' rent if the annual rent is under £50,000, or 6 weeks' if it's £50,000 or more); a refundable holding deposit to reserve a property (capped at 1 week's rent); payments if you ask to change or end the tenancy early; council tax, utilities, TV licence and communication services where agreed; and limited 'default fees' for a lost key or late rent. Anything else — referencing, admin, credit checks, inventory, check-out, renewal or 'professional cleaning' as a condition — is a banned, prohibited payment.

How much can a deposit be?

A tenancy deposit is capped at 5 weeks' rent where the total annual rent is under £50,000, and 6 weeks' rent where it's £50,000 or above. A separate holding deposit — to reserve a property while checks are done — is capped at 1 week's rent, and must usually be returned within 7 days (it can be put towards your first rent or deposit with your agreement, or kept only in limited cases such as you giving false information or failing right-to-rent checks). The deposit must also be protected in a government-backed scheme.

Can a landlord charge a referencing or admin fee?

No. Referencing fees, application or admin fees, credit-check fees, inventory or check-in/check-out fees, renewal fees, guarantor fees and 'professional cleaning' charged as a condition of the tenancy are all banned in England. If an agent or landlord asks for any of these, it's a prohibited payment — you don't have to pay it, and if you already have, you can get it back.

What default fees can I be charged?

Only two, and only if they're written into your tenancy agreement: a reasonable, evidenced charge for replacing a lost key or security device, and interest on rent that's more than 14 days late (capped at 3% above the Bank of England base rate, backdated to the day the rent was due). A landlord can also recover reasonable, evidenced costs if you breach the tenancy — but they can't invent flat 'admin' penalties. If a default charge looks inflated or has no receipt behind it, challenge it.

How do I get an illegal tenant fee back?

First, ask the landlord or agent in writing to repay it, pointing out it's a prohibited payment under the Tenant Fees Act. If they refuse, report it to your local council's trading standards team, which can fine them up to £5,000 (up to £30,000 or prosecution for a repeat breach), and you can apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) to recover the money. A prohibited payment must be repaid — keep a copy of every receipt, email and the tenancy agreement as evidence.

Tenant fees: what your landlord CAN

What they can charge

The rule is simple: if a payment isn’t on this list, it’s banned. In England, the only payments a landlord or agent can ask a tenant for are:

Permitted payment	Limit
Rent	As agreed (and it can’t be loaded at the start to dodge the rules)
Tenancy deposit	Max 5 weeks’ rent (rent under £50,000/yr) or 6 weeks’ (£50,000+); must be protected
Holding deposit	Max 1 week’s rent to reserve the property
Changing or ending the tenancy at your request	Reasonable, evidenced costs (capped for early exit)
Bills — council tax, utilities, TV licence, broadband/phone	Where you’ve agreed to pay them
Default fees (lost key / late rent only)	See below — strictly limited

Your deposit still has to be protectedWhatever the deposit, it must go into a government-backed protection scheme within 30 days — a separate right. See tenancy deposit protection.

What they can’t charge

These fees used to be routine before the ban. They’re now prohibited payments — you don’t have to pay them, and if you already have, you can claim them back:

Referencing fees and credit checks
Application / admin / “holding” admin fees beyond the 1-week holding deposit
Inventory, check-in and check-out fees
Renewal fees for extending or renewing a tenancy
Guarantor fees
“Professional cleaning” charged as a condition of the tenancy (they can only deduct from the deposit at the end for genuine, evidenced cleaning)
Gardening, “administration”, or any other charge not on the permitted list

“It’s just an admin fee” — no it isn’tAn agent can’t rename a banned fee to get around the rules. If you’re asked for referencing, admin, inventory, renewal or check-out money, it’s a prohibited payment. You can decline it, and it doesn’t affect your right to the tenancy.

The only “default fees” allowed

Two — and only if they’re written into your tenancy agreement:

Lost key or security device — a reasonable charge for the actual replacement cost, with evidence (a receipt). Not a flat “lost-key fee”.
Late rent — interest on rent that’s more than 14 days late, capped at 3% above the Bank of England base rate, backdated to the day it was due. No flat late-payment penalty.

A landlord can still recover genuine, evidenced costs if you breach the tenancy (for example damage) — but they can’t invent fixed penalties. If a default charge looks inflated or has no receipt behind it, challenge it.

How to get an illegal fee back

Ask in writing. Tell the landlord or agent it’s a prohibited payment under the Tenant Fees Act and ask them to repay it. Keep it factual and dated.
Keep your evidence. The tenancy agreement, the payment receipt, and the emails/messages. A prohibited payment must be repaid.
Report it to trading standards. Your local council’s trading standards team enforces the ban and can fine the landlord or agent up to £5,000 for a first breach — and up to £30,000, or prosecution, for a repeat breach within five years.
Apply to the First-tier Tribunal. The Property Chamber can order the money back to you if they still won’t repay.

Do this now

Look back at everything you were charged to move in. If any of it was referencing, admin, inventory, renewal or check-out, or a deposit over 5 weeks’ rent, email the agent asking for it back as a prohibited payment — use our letter writer to draft it.

Then make sure your deposit is protected in a scheme, and if there’s a wider problem with the tenancy, see know your rights or free help from Shelter (0808 800 4444) and Citizens Advice.

Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

The Tenant Fees Act covers England. The other nations have their own rules, which also ban most fees:

Nation	The rules
England	Tenant Fees Act 2019 (this page)
Wales	Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Wales) Act 2019 — very similar bans and deposit cap
Scotland	Most letting fees have been banned since 2012; deposit capped at 2 months’ rent
Northern Ireland	Different rules — check nidirect / Housing Rights NI

Related guides — renting

Deposit protection Gas safety (CP12) Right to Rent Rent increases Repairs & disrepair

Source verification Primary sources: GOV.UK — Tenant Fees Act 2019 guidance for tenants and statutory guidance for enforcement authorities (as amended by the Renters’ Rights Act 2025): gov.uk/guidance/tenant-fees-act-2019-guidance-for-tenants; the Act itself and Schedule 1 (permitted payments) on legislation.gov.uk; and Shelter Legal England (Tenancy fees). Last verified 2 July 2026 — the 5-week / 6-week deposit cap, the 1-week holding deposit cap, the permitted-payments list, the prohibited-payments (referencing/admin/inventory/renewal/check-out), the two allowed default fees (lost key; late-rent interest at 3% above the Bank of England base rate after 14 days), the trading-standards penalties (up to £5,000 first breach, up to £30,000 / prosecution for a repeat breach) and the First-tier Tribunal recovery route were web-checked against GOV.UK, legislation.gov.uk and Shelter. Confidence: High — statutory caps and bans. Scope: England (Wales = Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Wales) Act 2019; Scotland banned most fees since 2012; NI differs). Not legal advice — free help from Shelter and Citizens Advice.

Tenant fees — common questions

What can a landlord or agent charge me?

Only the rent, a capped tenancy deposit (5 weeks’ rent under £50k/yr, 6 weeks’ above), a 1-week holding deposit, costs if you ask to change/end the tenancy, agreed bills, and two limited default fees (lost key, late rent). Everything else — referencing, admin, inventory, renewal, check-out — is banned.

How much can my deposit be?

Capped at 5 weeks’ rent if your annual rent is under £50,000, or 6 weeks’ rent if it’s £50,000 or more. A separate holding deposit is capped at 1 week’s rent. The deposit must also be protected in a government scheme.

Can they charge a referencing or admin fee?

No. Referencing, admin, credit-check, inventory, check-in/out, renewal and guarantor fees are all banned in England. Renaming a fee “admin” doesn’t make it legal — it’s a prohibited payment.

What default fees are allowed?

Only a reasonable, evidenced charge for a lost key/security device, and interest on rent over 14 days late (capped at 3% above the Bank of England base rate) — and only if they’re in your tenancy agreement. No flat late-payment penalties.

How do I get an illegal fee back?

Ask in writing (it’s a prohibited payment), keep your receipts, report it to your council’s trading standards (fines up to £5,000, up to £30,000 for repeat breaches) and apply to the First-tier Tribunal to recover the money.

Sources: Permitted & prohibited payments, deposit caps and enforcement · GOV.UK — Tenant Fees Act guidance for tenants and legislation.gov.uk. Tenancy fees explained · Shelter Legal England. SortedUK is not a law firm and this is general information. Last reviewed: 2 July 2026.

Tenant fees — what they can and can’t charge you