Permitted payments and tenant protection information
For properties in England, the Tenant Fees Act 2019 means that in addition to rent, lettings agents can only charge tenants (or anyone acting on the tenant(s) behalf) the following permitted payments:
- Holding deposits (a maximum of 1 weeks rent);
- Deposits (a maximum deposit of 5 weeks rent for annual rent below £50,000, or 6 weeks rent for annual rental of £50,000 and above);
- Payments to change a tenancy agreement e.g. change of sharer (capped at £50 or, if higher, any reasonable costs);
- Payments associated with early termination of a tenancy (capped at the landlords loss or the agents reasonably incurred costs);
- Utilities, communication services (e.g. telephone, broadband), TV licence and council tax;
- Interest payments for the late payment of rent (up to 3% above Bank of England annual percentage rate);
- Reasonable costs for replacement of lost keys or other security devices;
- Contractual damages in the event of the tenant(s) default of a tenancy agreement; and
- Any other permitted payments under the Tenant Fees Act 2019.
For properties in Wales, the Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Wales) Bill, once enacted, means that in addition to rent, lettings agents can only charge tenants (or anyone acting on the tenant(s) behalf) the following permitted payments:
- Holding deposits (a maximum of 1 week rent);
- Deposits;
- Utilities, communication services (e.g. telephone, broadband), TV licence and council tax;
- Payments for the late payment of rent;
- A breach of a term of the contract;
- Any other permitted payments under the Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Wales) Bill and regulations once enacted.
LettingaProperty.com operating hourly rate is £50 which may be used to ascertain costs for changing terms and conditions to a tenancy where requested by a tenant.
(All costs and fees are inclusive of VAT.)
For information:
LettingaProperty.com is a member of the NLA (National Landlords Association) and UKALA (UK Association of Letting Agents).
LettingaProperty.com is a member of a redress scheme with The Property Ombudsman (TPO) Ltd (Membership No: D04114), Milford House, 43-45 Milford Street, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP1 2BP.
LettingaProperty.com has an Agent Licence granted under section 21 of the Housing (Wales) Act 2014 Licence Number #LR-37083-99307
LettingaProperty.com has an Agent Licence granted by the Scottish Letting Agent Register. Registration Number is LARN1903038