Free tool
Deposit cap calculator
Monthly rent entered: £1,200.00
Maximum tenancy deposit (five weeks’ rent)
£1,384.62
Charging a penny more is a prohibited payment under the Tenant Fees Act.
| Annual rent | £14,400.00 |
| One week’s rent (annual ÷ 52) | £276.92 |
| Maximum holding deposit (1 week) | £276.92 |
Annual rent is under £50,000, so the five-week cap applies. The six-week cap only starts at £50,000 a year (about £4,167 a month).
Once you take the deposit, a separate clock starts: it must be protected in a government scheme within 30 days.
Once the deposit is protected, HouseFile shares the certificate and prescribed information with your tenant and records when they open each one.
Every property gets its own file, with a reminder before any certificate expires. When you share documents with your tenant, you'll see when they open each one.
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The five-week rule, precisely
The Tenant Fees Act 2019 caps a tenancy deposit in England at five weeks' rent where the annual rent is under £50,000, and six weeks' rent at £50,000 or more. To work it out, divide the annual rent by 52 and multiply by five. Treating a week as a quarter of a month overstates it by about 8%, and anything over the cap is a prohibited payment.
After the cap: the 30-day clock
Once the money arrives, you have 30 days, counting that day, to protect it in a government-approved scheme and give your tenant the prescribed information. Miss either and your tenant can claim one to three times the deposit, and the court can't make a possession order on most grounds until you put it right. The deposit deadline calculator works out your date, and the guide to the 30-day rule covers what the prescribed information must include.
Common questions
How much deposit can a landlord charge in 2026?
In England, the Tenant Fees Act caps a tenancy deposit at five weeks’ rent where the annual rent is under £50,000, and six weeks’ rent where it’s £50,000 or more. A week’s rent is the annual rent divided by 52, so on £1,200 a month the cap is £1,384.62.
How do I calculate one week’s rent?
Multiply the monthly rent by 12, then divide by 52. Don’t use “monthly ÷ 4”: it overstates a week’s rent and can take you over the cap.
What happens if I take more than the deposit cap?
The amount over the cap is a prohibited payment. Trading Standards can fine you up to £5,000 for a first breach. A repeat within five years is a criminal offence, which can mean prosecution or a penalty of up to £30,000. Your tenant can also recover the excess through the First-tier Tribunal.
How much can I take as a holding deposit?
One week’s rent at most. If the tenancy goes ahead, repay it within seven days of the tenancy agreement, unless the tenant agrees to put it towards the first rent or the deposit. If you decide not to let, you usually have seven days from that decision.
Does the deposit cap apply in Scotland and Wales?
No. The Tenant Fees Act cap is England’s. In Scotland a deposit can be up to two months’ rent. Wales hasn’t set a limit on the deposit itself. In all three, a deposit usually has to be protected in an approved scheme.