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Tenant fees and permitted payments
In England the list of payments a tenant can be asked for is exhaustive. Anything outside it cannot be charged. Deposits are not fees, and they are shown separately below.
Pending client evidence Schedule pending client approval — design demonstration only. Where an amount is capped by law, the cap is stated; where the Dukes figure is unknown, it is left as an obvious gap rather than a plausible number.
By stage of the tenancy
Before the tenancy
| Payment | Who pays | Amount | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holding deposit | Tenant | Capped at one week's rent for the proposed tenancy | Refundable, with specific retention rules. It is a deposit, not a fee. |
| Referencing and Right to Rent checks | Not chargeable to a tenant | £0 to the tenant | A permitted charge to the landlord may exist; the schedule is pending. |
| Tenancy set-up or administration | Not chargeable to a tenant | £0 to the tenant | Prohibited under the permitted-payment rules in England. |
| Landlord service fee | Landlord | [Pending client approval] | Published on the landlord services and fees page once supplied. |
At the start of the tenancy
| Payment | Who pays | Amount | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| First rent payment | Tenant | As set out in the agreement | Cannot be requested or accepted before the agreement is signed. No more than one month in advance after signing. |
| Tenancy deposit | Tenant | Capped at five or six weeks' rent depending on annual rent | Protected in a government-approved scheme. It is a deposit, not a fee. |
During the tenancy
| Payment | Who pays | Amount | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | Tenant | As set out in the agreement | Advertised rent cannot be bid above. |
| Changing the tenancy at the tenant's request | Tenant | [Pending client approval — capped by law] | A permitted payment with a statutory cap. The Dukes figure has not been supplied. |
| Late rent and lost keys | Tenant | [Pending client approval — capped by law] | Default payments are permitted only within the statutory limits and only where the agreement provides for them. |
Ending the tenancy
| Payment | Who pays | Amount | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early termination at the tenant's request | Tenant | [Pending client approval — limited by law] | Cannot exceed the landlord's loss or the agent's reasonably incurred costs. |
| Check-out and inventory comparison | Not chargeable to a tenant | £0 to the tenant | Prohibited as a tenant charge in England. |
| Deposit return | Not a charge | Returned through the protection scheme | Disputes are handled by the scheme's free adjudication service. |
Applies to England. Reflects guidance updated 7 July 2026 and changes in force from 1 May 2026. Last reviewed 31 July 2026. Review owner to be named before publication.
Outstanding items
Speak to Dukes
Prefer to be guided? Open the Dukes Receptionist. It is an automated route that collects details for a person to follow up.
