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TheÌýTenant Fees Act 2019ÌýdefinesÌýwhat feesÌýandÌýpaymentsÌýyour landlord canÌýaskÌýyou to pay. This guidanceÌýtellsÌýyouÌýwhatÌýhappens if you are asked toÌýpay, orÌýhave paidÌýa fee that is not allowed.Ìý

‘Landlord’ in this document also meansÌýletting agent, estateÌýagentÌýor a building management organisationÌý–Ìýit’sÌýusually the person who you pay the rent to.Ìý

YouÌýhave toÌýpay allÌýallowed fees in full and on time.ÌýÌý

These are the fees that your landlord is allowed to charge you:ÌýÌý

• theÌýrent,ÌýifÌýyou andÌýyour landlordÌýhave signed the tenancy agreementÌý

• a refundable tenancy depositÌý

• a refundable holding deposit to reserve a propertyÌýÌý

• a payment to change the tenancy whenÌýyouÌýask toÌý

• a payment whenÌýyouÌýleaveÌýa tenancy without givingÌýenoughÌýnoticeÌý

• aÌýpayment towardsÌýutility billsÌýandÌýcommunication servicesÌýÌý

• a fee forÌýlate paymentÌýof rentÌýÌý

• a fee for replacing a key or security deviceÌý

If your landlord asks you for any moneyÌýfor somethingÌýthatÌýis notÌýon this list,Ìýor if you have already paid a fee that might be incorrectÌýthen youÌýcan:Ìý

• tell your landlord the fee is not allowedÌý

• makeÌýa record ofÌýany requests for paymentÌý

• get adviceÌýfrom or Ìý

RentÌý

The rent must not be more than the advertised amountÌýand yourÌýlandlordÌýmust clearly explain to you what is includedÌýwhen agreeing to rent the property.Ìý

The rentÌýshould be fairÌýandÌýin line with otherÌýsimilar propertiesÌýin the area.Ìý

You should not payÌýanyÌýrent before you signÌýa tenancyÌýagreement.ÌýÌý

AfterÌýyou have signed the tenancy agreement,Ìýyour landlordÌýcanÌýask toÌýyou payÌýa maximum ofÌý1Ìýmonth’sÌýrentÌýbefore the tenancy startÌýdate.ÌýThis is known asÌý‘rent in advance’.ÌýAfterÌýthis, the rent will be due on a regular schedule,ÌýusuallyÌýmonthly or weekly.Ìý

You canÌýreadÌýthe rent in advanceÌýguidance for more information.Ìý

Refundable tenancy depositÌý

You might have to pay aÌýtenancy deposit.ÌýThisÌýcovers anyÌýpossible damageÌýto the property and canÌýbe returnedÌýwhen you move out.Ìý

TheÌýmaximumÌýamount you would have to payÌýdependsÌýon the annualÌý(yearly)Ìýrent.Ìý

• If the annual rent is belowÌý£50,000Ìýthe maximum deposit is up toÌý5Ìýweeks’ rentÌý

• If the annualÌýrent isÌýbetweenÌý£50,000ÌýandÌý£100,000Ìýthe maximum depositÌýisÌýup toÌý6Ìýweeks’ÌýrentÌý

Your landlordÌýhasÌýtoÌýkeepÌýyour deposit moneyÌýsafeÌýbyÌýprotectingÌýit inÌýa government approved scheme.

RefundableÌýholding depositÌý

You might have to pay a holdingÌýdeposit to reserve the property while the landlordÌýdoes pre tenancy checks.ÌýÌý

The maximum holding deposit amount is equal toÌý1Ìýweek’s rent.ÌýÌý

Your landlord can hold the deposit for 15Ìýdays, unlessÌýthey have agreedÌýa longer or shorterÌýtime periodÌýwithÌýyouÌýin writing.Ìý

You should always get your holding deposit money back unless:Ìý

• you give false or misleading information to tryÌýto getÌýthe tenancyÌýÌý

• you change your mindÌýand decide not to rent that propertyÌý

• you do not replyÌýto requests for information,ÌýdocumentsÌýor actionÌý

• you fail aÌýRight to Rent checkÌý

IfÌýyourÌýlandlord keeps the holdingÌýdepositÌýthey mustÌýtell you whyÌýin writing within 7 days.Ìý

IfÌýyourÌýlandlordÌýreturnsÌýtheÌýholdingÌýdepositÌýthey mustÌýgive it backÌýwithin 7 days.ÌýYou couldÌýagreeÌýfor thisÌýamountÌýtoÌýbeÌýpaidÌýtowardsÌýyourÌýfirst month’s rentÌýor the tenancy deposit.Ìý

If youÌýdon’tÌýreceive the decision withinÌý7Ìýdays,ÌýorÌýin writing,Ìýor if youÌýdisagree withÌýthe reasons forÌýnot returning the deposit,Ìýyou can challenge this byÌýreporting it to:Ìý

• your localÌýcouncilÌý

• the First-tier TribunalÌý(a type of court that can deal with housing issues)Ìý

Before you pay a holding depositÌýyou shouldÌýreadÌýand keep a copy of theÌýtenancy agreementÌýandÌýmake sure youÌýknow aboutÌýthe deposits that you will need to pay.Ìý

Utilities and other billsÌý

The costs of utilitiesÌýlikeÌýgas, electricity, water bills and servicesÌýlikeÌýbroadband and a landline phoneÌýcan beÌýincludedÌýinÌýyourÌýrent payment.Ìý Your landlord can also require you to payÌýsome utilities and other billsÌýseparately.ÌýÌý

IfÌýsome orÌýallÌýofÌýtheseÌýbillsÌýare included,ÌýtheyÌýmust be listedÌýasÌýtermsÌýinÌýyourÌýtenancy agreement. Any bills included must reflect the actual costs.

YouÌýare responsible forÌýpaying any bills that are not included in the rent.ÌýÌý

Council TaxÌý

Your landlord can include a paymentÌýfor council tax within the rent where this is agreed within the tenancy agreement.  Ìý

If payments for council tax are not included in the rent,Ìýyour landlord canÌýrequireÌýyou to pay council tax to the relevant local council.  Ìý

However,ÌýyourÌýlandlord cannot requireÌýyou to makeÌýa separate paymentÌýto themÌýfor council tax.  Ìý

Television LicenceÌý

Your landlord can include a payment for a Television Licence within the rent where this is agreed within the tenancy agreement.Ìý

If a payment for a TelevisionÌýLicence is not included in the rent, your landlord can require you toÌýmakeÌýpaymentÌýfor aÌý.ÌýÌý

However, your landlord cannot require you to make a separate payment to them for a TelevisionÌýLicence.Ìý

Fees for tenancy changesÌýÌý

WhenÌýyouÌýask forÌýa change to the tenancy agreement (for example, toÌýadd orÌýremoveÌýa person) youÌýcanÌýbeÌýchargedÌýup to £50 for the work involvedÌýorÌýa higher amountÌýifÌýthe work costs more.Ìý

IfÌýyour landlord asks youÌýto payÌýmoreÌýthanÌý£50Ìýto change your tenancyÌýyou shouldÌýaskÌýyourÌýlandlordÌýforÌýproofÌýofÌýthe higher cost.ÌýIfÌýyou thinkÌýthe costs are not reasonable,Ìýyou can reportÌýyour landlordÌýto yourÌýlocalÌýcouncil.Ìý

Payments when you end the tenancy without giving the correct amount of notice ÌýÌý

If you give less than the minimum amount of notice to end the tenancy, your landlord can require a payment. This cannotÌýbe more than the amount of rent due until the minimum notice period ends (2Ìýmonths starting on the day rent is due).Ìý

You can talk to your landlordÌýand ask for a shorter notice period.Ìý

Default feesÌýÌý

Your landlordÌýmust tell you aboutÌýany defaultÌýfees before you sign the tenancy agreement.Ìý

You canÌýbeÌýchargedÌýa default fee:Ìý

• forÌýreplacement keys, security devices or fobsÌýgiving access to theÌýpropertyÌý

• forÌýlate paymentÌýof rentÌý

ReplacementÌýkeys, securityÌýdevicesÌýor fobs ÌýÌý

YouÌýareÌýresponsible forÌýlooking after the keys for the property throughout the tenancy.ÌýÌý

You canÌýbeÌýchargedÌýthe cost of replacing a key orÌýotherÌýsecurity device.Ìý

Your landlordÌýmustÌýprovide evidence in writing toÌýshowÌýtheÌýcostsÌýof replacementsÌýare reasonable.ÌýÌý

LateÌýpaymentÌýof rentÌý

Your rent must beÌýoverdue by at least 2 weeks before you canÌýbeÌýchargedÌýinterest.Ìý

TheÌýmaximumÌýamount of interest isÌý3% aboveÌýtheÌý.Ìý

The interest is payable on the amount of rentÌýthat you oweÌýfor the amount ofÌýtime that you owe it.Ìý

Example:ÌýÌý

You oweÌý£500Ìýfor 1 month.ÌýIf theÌýBankÌýofÌýEnglandÌýbase rateÌýwasÌý3%,Ìýthe maximumÌýannualÌýrateÌýwould beÌý6%.ÌýThe annualÌý(yearlyÌýamount)Ìýis £30 (£500Ìý*Ìý0.06 = £30)ÌýÌý

TheÌýdaily amount of interest isÌý8p (£30 / 365ÌýdaysÌý= 0.08p)ÌýsoÌý1ÌýmonthÌýofÌýinterest (£2.40) can be added to the amount that you owe.Ìý

You should always tell your landlord as soon as youÌýknow of any issues with yourÌýrent payment.Ìý

IfÌýyouÌýneed help with budgeting or managing your moneyÌýyou can talk to , ,Ìý,Ìýor your local councilÌýmight be able to help.Ìý

Prohibited paymentsÌý

If your landlordÌýchargesÌýyou a fee that is not allowed this is called a prohibited payment.Ìý

There areÌýloans, insuranceÌýandÌýcontracts that can help tenantsÌýfor example:ÌýÌý

• a professional guarantor serviceÌý

• contents insuranceÌý

• a deposit replacement productÌý

• an inventory serviceÌý

You can choose to use any of these things, but your landlordÌýis not allowedÌýto make youÌýpay forÌýa loan, pay forÌýinsuranceÌýor start a contract for a service as part of your tenancy.Ìý

If your landlord asks youÌýforÌýaÌýfee that is not allowed, you should refuseÌýto pay it andÌýyou shouldÌýkeep any evidence.ÌýÌýÌý

If youÌýhaveÌýalready paidÌýaÌýfee that is notÌýallowedÌýyou canÌýaskÌýyour landlordÌýto giveÌýthe money backÌýand keep a recordÌýof any response.Ìý

You canÌýcontactÌýyourÌýlocal councilÌýwho canÌýinvestigateÌýprohibited paymentsÌýandÌýcan help you get the money back.ÌýThey can also make your landlord pay a fine.Ìý

Your council may ask you for:Ìý

• proofÌýof the money you paidÌýor were asked to payÌý

• any records ofÌýcommunications about theÌýprohibited paymentÌý

• aÌýstatementÌýfrom you describing what happenedÌýÌý

You can alsoÌýapplyÌýto aÌýFirst-TierÌýTribunal.ÌýThisÌýis aÌýtype ofÌýcourt that canÌýdeal with housing issues. TheyÌýcan orderÌýyourÌýlandlord toÌýrepayÌýany prohibited payment.ÌýÌýÌý

If a letting agent asked forÌýa prohibited payment,ÌýyouÌýcanÌýreport them to the letting agent redress schemes:

• Ìý

You can getÌýfreeÌýhelpÌýadvice andÌýsupportÌýfrom: or Ìý