PERMITTED PAYMENTS
The Tenant Fees Act prevents landlords and their agents from requiring tenants to make any payment as a condition of granting, renewing or continuing a tenancy apart from:
- Rent
- A capped refundable Tenancy Deposit
- A capped refundable Holding Deposit unless the tenants withdraws from the tenancy
- Payments in the event of a default
- Payment on variation, assignment or novation of a tenancy
- Payment on termination(surrender) of a tenancy
- Payments in respect of Council Tax
- Payments for utilities(electricity, gas or other fuel, water or sewage)
- Payments for a television licence
- Communication services (telephone other than a mobile telephone; the internet; cable television, satellite television)
- Green Deal charge
ELIGIBILITY
The ban on tenant fees applies only in relation to tenancy agreements and licences signed on or after the 1 June 2019.
RELEVANT PERSON
The Act refers to a tenant or a ‘relevant person’ which includes a prospective, current or a former tenant or licensee.
NB: A tenant or relevant person also includes a guarantor or anybody acting on behalf of the tenant.
MORE INFO
Rent
A tenant’s regular payment to a landlord for the use of the property under a tenancy is a Permitted Payment.
NB:If the amount of rent payable at the start of the tenancy is more than the amount of rent payable at any later period during the tenancy, the additional amount is a Prohibited Payment.
Increases or reductions of rent are allowed where it is set out in the tenancy agreement or by agreement between the landlord and tenant after the tenancy has started.