Paying a tenancy deposit to a private landlord

Most landlords and letting agents will charge a deposit. They can charge you a deposit of up to 2 months' rent.

In most cases, they must protect your deposit in one of 3 tenancy deposit schemes.

What your deposit is for

The deposit is money to cover costs when you move out, such as:

• unpaid rent or bills
• damage to the property
• items missing from the inventory
• cleaning bills if you do not leave the property in a reasonable condition

If there are no costs, you must get your full deposit back when you move out.

Your landlord cannot use the deposit to replace items that are damaged or worn due to normal wear and tear.

Fees your landlord must not charge

It’s against the law for your landlord to charge you any other fees for starting or renewing a tenancy.

This includes:

• key money
• credit check fees
• administration fees
• a non-refundable holding deposit

These are illegal fees and you can claim them back. Check how to claim back illegal fees.