Fees and Deposits

Our approach

The Tenant Fees Act 2019 limits what letting agents and landlords in England can charge tenants. We only ask for the payments the Act permits, and we will confirm every amount in writing before you sign anything.

What you may pay

• Rent. Shown per person, per week on every listing. Where a listing says bills are included, gas, electricity and water are covered by your rent. Anything else that is included is listed on the home’s page and in your tenancy agreement.
• A tenancy deposit. A refundable security deposit, capped by law at five weeks’ rent for annual rent under £50,000. We protect it in a government-approved scheme and return it at the end of the tenancy, less any deductions that are fair and evidenced. The amount is shown on the listing or confirmed before you sign.
• A holding deposit. A payment of up to one week’s rent to reserve a home while checks are carried out. If the tenancy goes ahead it is put towards your first rent or your deposit. If it does not, it is refunded within seven days. We may keep it only in the limited cases the law allows, for example if you give false or misleading information, fail a right to rent check, withdraw, or do not take reasonable steps to sign the agreement by the agreed deadline.
• Default charges, only where your tenancy agreement says so: interest on rent that is more than 14 days late (no more than 3% above the Bank of England base rate), and the actual cost of replacing lost keys or security devices.
• Changes you ask for. If you ask us to change, transfer or end a tenancy early, we may charge a capped fee of up to £50, or our reasonable, evidenced costs if they are higher.

Council tax and other costs

Households made up entirely of full-time students are normally exempt from council tax. You will need an exemption certificate from your university. Costs that are not part of your rent, such as a TV licence or contents insurance, are your own responsibility.

What we do not charge

We do not charge tenants for references, administration, check-in or check-out, inventory, cleaning, renewals or any other fee the law prohibits.

Protection for your money

Letting agents in England must belong to a client money protection scheme. Ask us for the details of ours.

If you think you have been charged a prohibited fee, please tell us first and we will put it right. You can also contact Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s Trading Standards team. See our Complaints procedure.