Deposit cap
The most a landlord in England can take as a tenancy deposit: five weeks' rent where the annual rent is under £50,000, six weeks' at £50,000 or more.
In short: The deposit cap, set by the Tenant Fees Act 2019, limits a refundable tenancy deposit to five weeks' rent when the yearly rent is below £50,000, and six weeks' when it is £50,000 or more. Anything above the cap is a prohibited payment and must be returned.
英格兰。 于 5 October 2026 对照法律进行核查. 信息，非法律建议。
To work out five weeks' rent: multiply the monthly rent by 12, divide by 52, then multiply by 5.
For example, a rent of £1,200 a month is £14,400 a year, about £276.92 a week, so the cap is about £1,384.61.
Points to note:
- The cap is the same with or without a pet: no pet deposit on top.
- A holding deposit has its own cap of one week's rent.
- The deposit must be protected within 30 days.
A landlord who takes too much must refund the excess; councils can fine them and the First-tier Tribunal can order repayment.
Read more: Deposits: the cap, the 30 days and the prescribed information
Related: Prohibited payment, Holding deposit, Tenancy deposit protection scheme
来源
Guides on this
Guide
Deposits: the cap, the 30 days and the prescribed information
A tenancy deposit in England is capped at five weeks' rent, must be protected in a government-approved scheme within 30 days, and the tenant must get the prescribed information. Miss any of that and you face a penalty of up to three times the deposit.
Guide
How to protect a tenancy deposit, and what happens if you are late
Put the deposit in one of the three government schemes within 30 days and give the prescribed information. If late, the tenant can claim one to three times the deposit and most possession grounds close.
Template
Inventory and schedule of condition, room by room
A room-by-room record of what is in the home and what state it is in on the day the tenant moves in, with meter readings, keys, photos and signatures. It is the evidence both sides rely on when the deposit is returned.
Template
Deposit return: the tenant's request and the landlord's itemised statement
At the end of a tenancy in England the tenant asks for the deposit back and the landlord sets out any deductions with evidence. Both letters, and the deposit scheme's free dispute service when the two sides cannot agree.
Related terms
Glossary
Check-in and check-out
The visits at the start and end of a tenancy where the home is inspected against the inventory, keys are handed over and meter readings are taken.
Glossary
Fair wear and tear
The normal deterioration of a home and its contents from ordinary, reasonable use over time. A landlord cannot deduct for it from the deposit.
Glossary
Harassment of a tenant
Acts by a landlord or anyone for them that are likely to interfere with a tenant's peace or comfort, meant to make them leave or stop using their rights. A criminal offence.
Glossary
Holding deposit
A payment of up to one week's rent to reserve a home while the landlord checks an application. It must be returned or put towards the rent or deposit.
Glossary
Inventory and schedule of condition
A dated record of what is in the home and the condition of each room and item at the start of a tenancy, usually with photos, signed by both sides.
Glossary
Prescribed information
The set of details about a protected deposit that a landlord must give the tenant, and anyone who paid the deposit for them, within 30 days of receiving it.