Fees a landlord or agent cannot charge you, and rent in advance
The Tenant Fees Act bans most charges to tenants: no admin, referencing, inventory or check-out fees, no more than one month's rent in advance, and no bidding above the advertised rent. What is allowed, what is not, and how to get a banned fee back.
England. Checked against the law on 27 September 2026. Information, not legal advice.
What you can be asked to pay
- Rent, at the advertised amount. Since the Renters' Rights Act a landlord or agent cannot invite or accept offers above the advertised rent: no bidding wars.
- No more than one month's rent in advance before the tenancy starts (one week for a weekly tenancy).
- A refundable deposit of up to five weeks' rent.
- A holding deposit of up to one week's rent while your application is checked, returned or put towards the tenancy unless you pull out or gave false information.
- Utilities, council tax, TV licence and broadband if the agreement says you pay them.
- A reasonable charge for a change you asked for (capped at £50 or the real cost), a late rent charge after 14 days (interest only), and a lost key.
What is banned
Admin fees, referencing fees, inventory or check-in and check-out fees, "renewal" fees, cleaning fees written into the contract, pet deposits or pet insurance demands, and any payment above the advertised rent. A term in the agreement requiring one is unenforceable.
Getting it back
Ask for it in writing. If it is not refunded, your council's trading standards or housing team enforces the Act (fines of £5,000, and up to £30,000 for repeats), and the First-tier Tribunal can order repayment to you. A landlord who has taken a banned payment cannot use some possession grounds until it is repaid.
What MyLandlordPA does
The tenant check asks what you were charged and tells you which items are banned and who to go to. Landlords on MyLandlordPA advertise one fixed rent and cannot add fees through the platform.
Questions tenants ask
Can the agent charge me for a reference check?
No. Referencing is a cost of letting and falls on the landlord or agent. If you paid one, ask for it back.
The landlord wants six months' rent up front because I am new to the country. Is that allowed?
No. One month in advance is the maximum before the tenancy starts. A guarantor can be asked for instead; refusing you for a protected characteristic is unlawful.
Is a "pet deposit" allowed?
No. The deposit cap is the same whether or not you have a pet, and pet insurance cannot be demanded. The landlord can still refuse a pet for a good reason, in writing.
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The PA keeps every date in this guide for you and asks before anything that costs money.