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Banned Tenant Fees
What landlords and letting agents cannot charge you under the Tenant Fees Act 2019.
8 min readLast updated: 15 January 2025
The Tenant Fees Act 2019 bans most fees that landlords and letting agents used to charge. If you've been charged a banned fee, you can get it back.
Fees That Are BANNED
- Admin fees for setting up a tenancy
- Reference check fees
- Inventory check fees
- Credit check fees
- Guarantor fees
- Renewal fees for extending your tenancy
- Checkout fees
- Professional cleaning charges (unless specified in contract and you had professional cleaning at start)
Permitted Payments
Landlords and agents CAN charge for:
- Rent
- Deposit (capped at 5 weeks' rent)
- Holding deposit (capped at 1 week's rent)
- Changing the tenancy (capped at £50)
- Early termination at your request
- Utilities, council tax, TV licence if you agreed to pay
- Default fees (only for late rent over 14 days or lost keys)
What to Do If You've Been Charged
- Ask for a refund in writing, explaining the fee is banned
- If they refuse, report to your local council's trading standards
- You can claim the money back in small claims court
- Councils can fine landlords/agents up to £30,000
An unlawful fee blocks Section 21 eviction. If you've paid a banned fee, your landlord cannot serve valid Section 21 until they repay it.
Official Sources
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