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Deposit calculator
The short answer: in England a tenancy deposit can be no more than five weeks’ rent, or six weeks where the rent is £50,000 a year or more. On £1,000 a month that is £1,153.84. Enter your rent to see your limit, and the deposit you’ve been asked for to check it.
England · Tenant Fees Act 2019 · Checked 21 October 2026
Enter the monthly rent for the whole property, as advertised. Include any “pet deposit” or other security in the amount asked for: it all counts towards the cap.
Enter a monthly rent to see the most a landlord or letting agent in England can take as a tenancy deposit. Add the deposit you’ve been asked for to see if it is over the limit.
The cap comes from the Tenant Fees Act 2019 and applies to assured tenancies, student lettings and licences to occupy in the private rented sector.
How the cap is worked out
- A week’s rent: £1,000 × 12 ÷ 52 = £230.76.
- Five weeks: £230.76 × 5 = £1,153.84, rounded down to the penny.
- Six weeks instead if the rent is £4,166.67 a month or more (£50,000 a year).
- Everything held as security counts towards the cap, including a “pet deposit”.
Once you have paid it
- It must be protected in a government-approved scheme within 30 days, and you must be given the prescribed information naming the scheme.
- At the end, it must be returned within 10 days of you both agreeing how much you get back.
- Deductions can cover damage, unpaid rent or bills you were responsible for, but not fair wear and tear. The check-in inventory is what settles an argument.
- If it was never protected, you can claim compensation of one to three times the deposit in the county court.
Applicability
- Jurisdiction:
- England. Different rules apply in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
- Legislation:
- Tenant Fees Act 2019, Schedule 1, and GOV.UK’s tenancy deposit protection guide.
These figures are the statutory limits, calculated exactly as the legislation defines them. They are not legal advice about your particular tenancy. Your local council’s trading standards team enforces the Act.
Questions about tenancy deposits
How much deposit can a landlord ask for in England?
Five weeks’ rent where the annual rent is under £50,000, and six weeks’ rent where it is £50,000 or more. That is the cap in the Tenant Fees Act 2019, and it covers the whole deposit. On £1,000 a month the most is £1,153.84.
How do you work out five weeks’ rent?
Multiply the monthly rent by 12 and divide by 52 to get a week’s rent, then multiply by 5. On £1,000 a month a week’s rent is £230.76, so five weeks is £1,153.84. Don’t round up: a deposit even a penny over the cap is a banned payment.
When does the six-week cap apply?
When the rent is £50,000 a year or more, which is £4,166.67 a month or more. On £4,500 a month the most is £6,230.76, six weeks’ rent.
Can a landlord charge a pet deposit on top?
No. Any money held as security counts as the tenancy deposit, whatever it is called, so a pet deposit has to fit inside the five or six-week cap, not sit on top of it. The landlord can still take the cost of pet damage from the deposit at the end.
Does the holding deposit count towards the deposit?
It is normally put towards it. A holding deposit is capped at one week’s rent, and once the tenancy is agreed it must be repaid, or put towards the first rent or the tenancy deposit with your agreement, within 7 days.
What if I have been asked for more than the cap?
The amount over the cap is a prohibited payment. Ask for it to be reduced before you pay, in writing. If you have already paid it, ask for the excess back, then go to your council’s trading standards team or apply to the First-tier Tribunal, which can order the landlord or agent to repay you.
How long does a landlord have to protect my deposit?
30 days from receiving it. It must go into one of the three government-approved schemes: the Deposit Protection Service, MyDeposits or the Tenancy Deposit Scheme. Within the same 30 days the landlord must give you the prescribed information, which names the scheme.
When do I get my deposit back?
Within 10 days of you and your landlord agreeing how much you will get back. If you disagree about deductions, the money stays protected in the scheme until the dispute is sorted out, and each scheme has a free dispute service.