United Kingdom Rent Deposit And Payment Terms Dataset
Payment item | Description | Amount usually stated | Typical timing | Compliance notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Rent | ||||
Monthly rent | Main periodic payment for occupation of the property. | true | Monthly in advance. | State amount, due date, payee and method clearly. |
Weekly rent | Rent paid each week, common for some lower-cost lets. | true | Weekly in advance. | A rent book is required where rent is payable weekly. |
Rent due date | Calendar day on which rent must be received. | false | Usually first day of each rent period. | Avoid ambiguity between payment date and tenancy start date. |
Rent payment method | How the tenant must pay rent, such as bank transfer. | false | Each rent payment date. | Include bank details or agent details if fixed at signing. |
Apportioned first rent | Pro-rated rent for an initial part-month or part-period. | true | On or before tenancy start. | Show calculation to avoid dispute about first payment. |
Rent review increase | Mechanism for increasing rent during or after the fixed term. | true | Usually annually or after fixed term. | Use a clear review clause or statutory section 13 route for periodic tenancies. |
Rent in advance | Rent paid before the period it covers. | true | Before each rental period begins. | Permitted payment, but must not disguise a prohibited deposit or fee. |
Deposit | ||||
Tenancy deposit | Security deposit held against breaches such as unpaid rent or damage. | true | Before or at tenancy start. | In England, capped at 5 weeks' rent below £50,000 annual rent, or 6 weeks' rent at £50,000 or above. |
Deposit protection deadline | Time limit for protecting the tenancy deposit in an approved scheme. | false | Within 30 days of receipt. | Applies to AST deposits prescribed information must also be given within 30 days. |
Deposit prescribed information | Required deposit scheme information given to the tenant and relevant persons. | false | Within 30 days of deposit receipt. | Failure can restrict section 21 use and expose landlord to financial penalties. |
Deposit deductions | Permitted deductions for unpaid rent, damage, cleaning or other breaches. | false | At tenancy end after check-out. | Deductions should reflect actual loss and exclude fair wear and tear. |
Deposit return | Repayment of the deposit balance after agreed deductions. | false | After tenancy ends and deductions are agreed. | Government guidance says schemes return deposits within 10 days once both sides agree. |
Deposit scheme type | Whether the deposit is held in a custodial or insured protection scheme. | false | Selected when deposit is protected. | Use one of the government-approved tenancy deposit schemes. |
Holding deposit | ||||
Holding deposit | Payment to reserve the property before the tenancy is granted. | true | Before referencing or agreement signing. | In England, capped at 1 week's rent. |
Holding deposit repayment | Repayment or allocation of holding deposit after the tenancy decision. | false | Usually within 7 days of deadline or tenancy agreement. | Must be repaid unless lawful retention grounds apply. |
Holding deposit retention | Circumstances where a landlord or agent may keep the holding deposit. | false | Before tenancy is entered into. | Retention is limited, including tenant false information, right to rent failure or tenant withdrawal. |
Late payment | ||||
Late rent interest | Interest payable on overdue rent after the statutory grace period. | true | Only after rent is over 14 days late. | In England, capped at 3% above Bank of England base rate. |
Rent arrears | Unpaid rent owed by the tenant under the tenancy. | false | When rent is missed or underpaid. | Agreement should not impose prohibited admin charges for arrears letters. |
Late payment, Permitted fees | ||||
Default fees | Fees for tenant default, mainly late rent or lost keys/security devices. | true | When the specified default occurs. | Only permitted default payments should be included in England. |
Utilities | ||||
Gas charges | Tenant payment for gas supplied to the property. | false | As billed by supplier or landlord. | Utility payments are permitted if required by the tenancy. |
Electricity charges | Tenant payment for electricity supplied to the property. | false | As billed by supplier or landlord. | Do not overcharge if reselling energy maximum resale price rules may apply. |
Water and sewerage charges | Tenant payment for water supply and sewerage services. | false | As billed by water company or landlord. | Permitted utility payment if required by the tenancy. |
Oil or solid fuel charges | Payment for heating oil, LPG, coal or similar fuel used at the property. | false | On delivery, refill or as agreed. | Specify opening and closing tank readings or stock levels if relevant. |
Communal heating charges | Payment for heat or hot water supplied through a shared system. | true | Monthly or as billed. | State tariff, standing charge and metering basis where landlord recharges. |
Council tax | ||||
Council tax | Local authority tax for domestic occupation of the property. | false | Usually monthly instalments to the council. | Tenant is often liable, but check HMO and statutory liability rules. |
Council tax, Rent | ||||
Council tax included in rent | Rent includes council tax paid by landlord or included in the rent package. | true | With each rent payment. | Make clear whether any council tax increase can be recharged. |
Permitted fees | ||||
TV licence | Licence fee for watching or recording live TV or BBC iPlayer. | false | Annually, monthly or as billed. | Payment for a TV licence is a permitted payment if required by the tenancy. |
Utilities | ||||
Broadband charges | Payment for internet service supplied to the property. | true | Monthly or as billed. | Communication service payments are permitted if required by the tenancy. |
Telephone line charges | Payment for fixed-line telephone service at the property. | false | Monthly or as billed. | Permitted as a communication service payment if required by the tenancy. |
Cable or satellite TV charges | Payment for subscription TV service at the property. | true | Monthly or as billed. | Permitted as communication service payment only if properly required by tenancy. |
Permitted fees | ||||
Tenancy variation fee | Fee for changing the tenancy at the tenant's request. | true | When tenant requests the change. | In England, capped at £50 unless higher reasonable costs are evidenced. |
Assignment or novation fee | Charge for replacing a tenant or transferring the tenancy at tenant request. | true | When tenant asks to change occupiers. | Usually treated as tenancy variation £50 cap unless higher reasonable costs are evidenced. |
Early termination payment | Payment where tenant requests to end the tenancy early. | true | On agreed early surrender. | Cannot exceed landlord's loss or agent's reasonable costs from early termination. |
Lost keys or security device replacement | Payment for replacing keys, fobs, access cards or similar devices. | true | When key or device is lost. | Amount must be reasonably incurred and evidenced in writing. |
Lock change after lost key | Cost of changing locks where loss creates a security risk. | true | After lost key or access device. | Only reasonable evidenced costs should be charged, not a fixed penalty. |
Other charges | ||||
Referencing or administration fee | Fee for tenant referencing, inventories, check-in or general administration. | false | Usually before tenancy, but generally prohibited in England. | Not a permitted payment under the Tenant Fees Act 2019 unless a specific exception applies. |
Inventory or check-in fee | Charge for preparing or attending an inventory or check-in report. | false | Before or at tenancy start. | Generally prohibited for tenants in England landlord should bear the cost. |
Check-out fee | Charge for end-of-tenancy inspection or check-out report. | false | At tenancy end. | Generally prohibited for tenants in England under tenant fee restrictions. |
Professional cleaning fee | Fixed charge requiring professional cleaning at tenancy end. | true | At tenancy end. | A mandatory fixed cleaning fee is generally risky require return in same cleanliness condition instead. |
Deposit, Other charges | ||||
Damage beyond fair wear and tear | Tenant liability for damage caused by breach, negligence or misuse. | false | When damage is found or at tenancy end. | Recover actual loss only account for age, condition and fair wear and tear. |
Deposit | ||||
Fair wear and tear exclusion | Normal deterioration that should not be charged to the tenant. | false | Assessed at tenancy end. | Deposit deductions should not make the landlord better off than before the tenancy. |
Rent, Utilities, Council tax | ||||
Rent inclusive of bills | Single rent amount includes specified utilities or council tax. | true | With rent payments. | List exactly which bills are included and any fair usage cap. |
Utilities, Other charges | ||||
Utilities fair usage cap | Cap on included utilities, with excess payable by tenant. | true | Assessed monthly, quarterly or at tenancy end. | Cap and excess calculation must be transparent and not operate as a penalty. |
Utilities | ||||
Opening and closing meter readings | Utility readings used to allocate charges to the tenancy period. | false | At move-in and move-out. | Record readings in inventory or check-in report where tenant pays utilities. |
Other charges | ||||
Service charge contribution | Contribution to shared building or estate services. | true | Monthly, quarterly or with rent. | In England, ensure charge is a permitted payment or built into rent, not a prohibited extra fee. |
Communal area costs | Costs for shared lighting, cleaning, gardening or maintenance. | true | With rent or as specified. | Usually safest to include in rent unless clearly permitted as a separate payment. |
Garden maintenance charge | Payment for gardening services arranged by landlord or agent. | true | Monthly, seasonally or as agreed. | A separate compulsory charge may be prohibited consider including in rent. |
Parking space charge | Payment for use of a parking space, garage or permit. | true | With rent or as agreed. | Clarify whether parking is part of the tenancy or a separate optional licence. |
Rent | ||||
Pet rent | Higher rent agreed because the tenant keeps a pet. | true | With each rent payment. | Additional pet deposits or pet fees may breach deposit cap or fee ban in England. |
Deposit | ||||
Pet deposit | Extra deposit requested because a pet will live at the property. | true | Before pet consent or tenancy start. | Counts towards the tenancy deposit cap in England and may make the deposit unlawful if cap exceeded. |
Rent, Deposit, Other charges | ||||
Guarantor liability for rent and losses | Financial liability accepted by a guarantor for tenant obligations. | false | Applies if tenant defaults. | Use a properly executed guarantee ensure scope and duration are clear. |
Rent | ||||
Joint and several rent liability | Each joint tenant is liable for all rent, not only their share. | false | Throughout joint tenancy. | State clearly for shared tenancies to avoid misunderstanding. |
Rent abatement after insured damage | Reduction or suspension of rent if property becomes uninhabitable by insured risk. | false | During period of uninhabitability. | Coordinate with landlord insurance and repair obligations. |
Standing order setup | Tenant arrangement to pay rent automatically from bank account. | false | Before first rent due date. | Agreement may request but should not charge a setup fee. |
Late payment, Other charges | ||||
Returned payment bank charges | Charge arising where a rent payment fails or is reversed. | true | When payment is returned unpaid. | May be prohibited unless it fits a permitted default payment and actual reasonable cost. |
Other charges | ||||
Court fees and enforcement costs | Costs incurred if landlord brings legal proceedings for breach or possession. | false | If proceedings or enforcement occur. | Recoverability depends on court order, contract terms and reasonableness. |
Landlord insurance premium contribution | Tenant contribution to landlord buildings or rent guarantee insurance. | true | With rent or annually. | Generally not a permitted tenant fee in England include in rent if commercially needed. |
Tenant contents insurance | Insurance for tenant belongings and personal liability. | false | Tenant arranges separately if desired. | Landlord should not require payment to a nominated insurer as a condition unless legally reviewed. |
Rent | ||||
Rent overpayment credit | Credit where tenant pays more rent than due. | false | Credited against next rent or refunded. | State whether overpayments are refunded or offset against future rent. |
Rent, Late payment | ||||
Allocation of partial payments | Order in which partial payments are applied to rent, arrears or interest. | false | When tenant underpays. | Keep allocation transparent and avoid applying payments to prohibited fees. |
Permitted fees | ||||
Permitted payments only clause | Clause limiting tenant payments to those lawfully permitted. | false | Throughout tenancy. | Useful safeguard for England because prohibited payments can affect enforcement and penalties. |
Deposit | ||||
Welsh occupation contract deposit | Security deposit under a Welsh occupation contract. | true | Before or at occupation date. | Wales uses occupation contracts deposit protection rules still apply to most standard contracts. |
Scottish tenancy deposit | Security deposit for a Scottish private residential tenancy. | true | Before or at tenancy start. | Scotland has separate rules deposit must not exceed 2 months' rent. |
Northern Ireland tenancy deposit | Security deposit for a private tenancy in Northern Ireland. | true | Before or at tenancy start. | Northern Ireland has separate deposit protection requirements and deadlines. |
Other charges | ||||
Repayment of prohibited payment | Return of money taken from a tenant unlawfully under fee restrictions. | false | After unlawful payment is identified. | Taking prohibited payments can trigger enforcement and affect section 21 validity until repaid. |
Rent | ||||
Cash rent receipt | Written acknowledgement where rent is paid in cash. | false | Each cash payment. | Receipts reduce evidential disputes over rent arrears. |
Rent, Late payment | ||||
Rent statement | Account showing rent due, paid and outstanding. | false | On request or during arrears management. | Useful evidence before possession or debt proceedings. |
What Rent And Deposit Terms Should An Assured Shorthold Tenancy Include?
A UK residential tenancy agreement should state the rent amount, payment frequency, due date, payment method, deposit amount and any lawful tenant payments. For most assured shorthold tenancies in England, a tenancy deposit is capped at 5 weeks\' rent where annual rent is below £50,000 and 6 weeks\' rent where annual rent is £50,000 or more. Holding deposits are capped at 1 week\'s rent.
Which Tenant Charges Are Restricted In England?
Under the Tenant Fees Act 2019, landlords and agents in England can only require permitted payments. Common permitted payments include rent, a capped tenancy deposit, a capped holding deposit, utilities, council tax, TV licence, communication services, certain default fees, tenancy variation fees, early termination payments and payments for lost keys or security devices. Prohibited fees should not be included in an AST.
When Can Late Rent Interest Be Charged?
Late payment interest can only be charged in England where rent is more than 14 days overdue, and the rate must not exceed 3% above the Bank of England base rate. The agreement should avoid automatic daily penalties or admin fees for late rent unless clearly permitted by law.
What Deposit Protection Points Should Be Checked?
If a landlord takes a tenancy deposit for an assured shorthold tenancy, it must usually be protected in a government-approved tenancy deposit scheme and the tenant must be given prescribed information within 30 days. The agreement should identify how the deposit may be used, such as unpaid rent or damage, without allowing unlawful deductions for fair wear and tear.

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