Tenancy deposit cap, holding deposit and first month's rent checker

For tenants and landlords in England. Enter the rent and your move-in date to see the most a deposit and a holding deposit can be, what the first rent payment comes to, and whether a fee you have been asked for is allowed. Free, no sign-up.

Deposit checker

What can you be asked to pay before the keys?

Under the Tenant Fees Act 2019 a tenancy deposit is capped at five weeks' rent (six where the rent is £50,000 a year or more), a holding deposit at one week's rent, and most other fees are banned. Since 1 May 2026 no more than one month's rent can be asked for in advance.

Weekly rent is the monthly rent times 12, divided by 52. The first payment here is worked out as the yearly rent divided by 365, times the days until your first full rent day. Your agreement decides the exact method, so treat the figure as a check, not a bill.

The deposit must go into a government-approved scheme within 30 days, with the prescribed information given to you. How deposit protection works (GOV.UK).

All fifteen free tools

Rent (£)

Paid

Move-in date

Rent due on the

Holding deposit already paid (£)Returned within seven days of the tenancy being agreed, unless you agree it goes towards the first rent or the deposit.

Weekly rent: –
Most the tenancy deposit can be: –
Most a holding deposit can be: –
First rent payment: –
Less the holding deposit: –
Most you can be asked for before the keys: –

–

Is this fee allowed? Pick what you have been asked for

A landlord or agent who takes a banned payment can be fined by the council, and you can ask for the money back. Enforcement is by local Trading Standards. Tenant Fees Act guidance (GOV.UK).

For tenants

Tenants pay SYND no fees

Rent, holding deposits and deposits are paid to the landlord, never to SYND, and SYND never holds them. If you are renting a home SYND lets, the holding deposit is no more than one week's rent, the deposit is within the cap and protected, and you see the full list of payments before you agree to anything.

Pets are not covered by this checker. Check the current rules on pets and deposits on GOV.UK before paying anything extra for a pet.

For landlords

Letting a home yourself?

Getting the holding deposit, the deposit cap, the 30-day protection deadline and the prescribed information right is part of SYND's tenant find, for £799. You pay nothing unless a tenant moves in.

SYND Properties is a trading name of SYND LTD, a member of Property Redress (no. PRS044043). No VAT is charged because SYND LTD is not VAT registered. Full fees on our fees page.

See how tenant find works Read the tenant fee rules in full

Questions

Deposits and fees, answered

Is this fee allowed? What can a landlord or agent charge in England?

Only rent, a refundable tenancy deposit within the cap, a refundable holding deposit of up to one week's rent, a default charge for late rent or a lost key, a charge for a change to the tenancy or an early end that you ask for, and bills you have agreed to pay. Anything else is a banned fee. Pick the charge in the checker above for the rule that applies.

How many weeks' rent can a deposit be?

Five weeks' rent where the yearly rent is under fifty thousand pounds, and six weeks' rent where it is fifty thousand pounds or more. A week's rent is the monthly rent times twelve, divided by fifty-two.

Can a landlord ask for six months' rent up front?

No. Since the Renters' Rights Act took effect on 1 May 2026 a landlord or agent can ask for no more than one month's rent in advance, and only once the tenancy has been agreed. Tenants may still choose to pay early once the tenancy has started.

What happens to my holding deposit?

Once the tenancy is agreed it is returned within seven days, or put towards your first rent or your deposit if you agree. It can be kept only in limited cases, such as giving false information or pulling out, and the landlord must tell you why in writing.

Is a cleaning fee allowed?

No fee can be charged for cleaning at the start or end of a tenancy. If a home is left dirtier than it was let, allowing for fair wear and tear, the landlord can claim the cost from the deposit with evidence, and the deposit scheme decides any dispute.

How do I get a banned fee back?

Ask for it back in writing first. If it is not returned you can report the landlord or agent to your council's Trading Standards team and apply to the First-tier Tribunal to recover it. Agents must also belong to a redress scheme you can complain to.

Facts on this page checked on 12 October 2026 against GOV.UK Tenant Fees Act guidance, GOV.UK deposit protection and the GOV.UK guide to the Renters' Rights Act. England only. General information, not legal advice.