Tenant Fees: What you can (and can’t) be charged

Since 2019, there’s been a law specifically designed to stop landlords and agents charging you random fees just for the privilege of renting a home. It’s called the Tenant Fees Act, and it’s one of the more useful pieces of law you’ll come across as a student tenant, mainly because it tells you, in black and white exactly what you should and shouldn’t be paying.

What can you actually be charged for?

Under the Act, landlords and agents can only charge you for:

Rent
A refundable holding deposit, capped at one week’s rent
Utilities, if they’re included in your rent
Changes to your contract that you request, up to £50 (or more if they can show it genuinely cost them more)
A refundable damage deposit, capped at 5 weeks’ rent (or 6 weeks’ if your annual rent is £50,000 or more)
Early termination costs, if you’re the one asking to end the contract early
A reasonable charge for lost keys
A late payment fee, capped at 3% above the Bank of England base rate

That’s it. If something you’re being asked to pay isn’t on this list, it’s very likely not allowed.

What can’t you be charged for?

This is the part that catches people out, because it used to be completely normal: you cannot be charged for drawing up a contract, inventory checks, tenancy renewals, references, right to rent checks, or general “admin.” If an agent tries to add one of these onto your move-in costs, it’s against the law, not a grey area, not “standard practice,” against the law.

What happens if a landlord or agent breaks the rules?

There are real consequences. A first offence carries a civil fine of up to £5,000. If they’re caught doing it again within five years, that rises to up to £30,000.

There’s also a knock-on effect for the landlord: if they’ve charged you a fee they weren’t allowed to and haven’t paid it back, it can block them from being able to rely on certain legal grounds to end your tenancy until they do. In other words, the law gives you leverage, an unlawful fee isn’t just something you can complain about, it can actively work in your favour if things ever get more serious.

What to do if you think you’ve been overcharged

Talk to your University or Students’ Union advice centre first — they deal with this constantly and can tell you quickly whether what you’ve been charged is allowed.
Trading Standards and your Local Authority can help enforce the law and get your money back where appropriate.
The First-Tier Tribunal is the official route for recovering unlawfully charged fees — your Local Authority can help with the application.
If the letting agent is a member of a redress scheme, you can also bring a complaint through the Property Redress Scheme.

How Sulets does this

As a not-for-profit, we don’t charge holding deposits at all, one less thing to budget for before you’ve even moved in. Every fee we do charge is set out clearly in your contract before you sign, with nothing added on afterwards. If you’re ever unsure whether something you’ve been asked to pay is right, our team is genuinely happy to check it for you, whether or not you’re renting with us.

Reviewed July 2026