Rent payments and deposits

This guide explains what rules landlords need to follow when they ask a tenant to pay rent at different stages of the tenancy.

The Renters’ Rights Act will change laws about renting and this guidance has been published to help private rented sector landlords and agents prepare. The new rules will apply on or from 1 May 2026. For information on what fees can be currently charged, refer to the existing Tenant Fees Act guidance.

In the future, there will be rules about when you or a letting agent can ask your tenant to pay rent.  

You will only be able to ask for rent in advance after you and your tenant have signed the tenancy agreement and before the date the tenancy starts.  

If your tenant will be paying rent monthly, the maximum amount you can ask for is 1 month’s rent. 

If they will not be paying rent monthly, the maximum amount you can ask for is 28 days’ rent. 

Before you and your tenant sign the tenancy agreement 

In the future, you will not be able to ask the prospective tenant to pay rent before the tenancy agreement is signed. 

You must not accept, ask for or encourage your prospective tenant to pay rent before you both sign the tenancy agreement. 

You or your letting agent will be able to ask the tenant for the following deposits: 

  • a holding deposit (this can be up to one week’s rent), to reserve the property while you carry out checks 

  • a tenancy or security deposit before the tenancy agreement is signed 

The maximum tenancy or security deposit you will be able to ask for is:

  • up to 5 weeks’ rent if the rent for the year is less than £50,000  

  • up to 6 weeks’ rent if the rent for the year is £50,000 or more 

You must keep your tenant’s deposit safe using a government-approved tenancy deposit protection scheme. 

After the tenancy agreement has been signed you will be able to ask for rent in advance before the tenancy agreement begins.  

Before the tenancy starts (the ‘pre-tenancy period’) 

The ‘pre-tenancy’ period is the time from when the contract is signed until the start date of the tenancy.  If your tenant will be paying their rent monthly, you will be able to ask them to pay their first month’s rent at any time during the ‘pre-tenancy’ period. 

If your tenant will be paying their rent weekly, you will be able to ask them to pay rent up to the first 28 days of the tenancy.  

You will not usually be able to ask your tenant to pay more than those amounts. 

This does not apply to Private Registered Providers of social housing (PRPs) as the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 changes will only apply to PRPs from 2027.

When you will be able to ask for more rent 

In some circumstances, you will be able to ask your tenant for more than one month or 28 days’ rent in advance after the tenancy agreement has been signed. 

You will only be able to do this if: 

  • the tenancy was agreed by the local council because they were legally homeless  

  • your property will be let as either social or supported housing 

When the tenancy starts 

Your tenant should pay rent on the day that is in the tenancy agreement. This could be weekly or monthly. For example, Monday each week or the last working day of the month. 

You will not be able to include any terms in the tenancy agreement asking the tenant to pay rent in advance. 

Once the tenancy has started, your tenant can choose to pay any amount of rent early.  

If someone reports you 

In the future, your local council will be able to investigate if you or your letting agent are reported for asking for rent in advance before the tenancy agreement has been signed.  

You or your letting agent could still be reported if the tenant: 

  • did not agree to pay rent in advance despite you asking, inviting or encouraging them to do so 

  • offered to pay rent in advance which you then accepted 

  • has already moved in

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