Permitted Payments for Tenants in England
Under the Tenant Fees Act 2019 in England and the Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Wales) Act 2019, landlords and letting agents are restricted to charging tenants only specific permitted payments in addition to rent.
In England, permitted payments include:
- Holding Deposit: A deposit to reserve a property, capped at one week's rent.
- Tenancy Deposit: A deposit to cover damages or unpaid rent, limited to five weeks' rent for properties with an annual rent below £50,000, or six weeks' rent for properties with an annual rent of £50,000 or more.
- Changes to Tenancy: Payments for changes to the tenancy agreement, such as a change of sharer, capped at £50 or the landlord's reasonable costs if higher.
- Early Termination: Payments associated with ending the tenancy early at the tenant's request, limited to the landlord's loss or the agent's reasonably incurred costs.
- Utilities and Services: Payments for utilities (electricity, gas, water, sewerage), communication services (telephone, internet, cable/satellite TV), TV licence, and council tax.
- Late Payment of Rent: Interest on late rent payments, up to 3% above the Bank of England's annual percentage rate, if the rent is more than 14 days overdue.
- Lost Keys or Security Devices: Reasonable costs for replacing lost keys or other security devices.
- Contractual Damages: Damages for breach of the tenancy agreement.
- Other Permitted Payments: Any other payments explicitly permitted under the Tenant Fees Act 2019 and applicable regulations.
Tenant Protection and Transparency
Property Ombudsman
We are a member of The Property Ombudsman and follow their guidelines and policies. For more information about them, you can visit their website: http://www.tpos.co.uk . We also a member of their Redress Scheme.
