What is the maximum tenancy deposit in England?

Five weeks of rent, or six weeks if the annual rent is £50,000 or more, under the Tenant Fees Act 2019.

How is one week of rent worked out?

Annual rent divided by 52. For monthly rent, multiply by 12 first.

Is rent in advance capped?

For tenancies entered into on or after 1 May 2026, a term requiring rent in advance has no effect under the Renters' Rights Act 2025. The Act states no figure. The GOV.UK guide to the Act, NRLA and Shelter describe the practical limit as one month of rent (or 28 days), but that figure comes from them, not the statute.

What if the annual rent is exactly £50,000?

The six week cap applies when annual rent is £50,000 or more.

Deposit cap calculator

The most a landlord can ask for as a deposit, and as a holding deposit, in England. Free, no sign-up.

Last checked 29 October 2026

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The rules

The Tenant Fees Act 2019 caps a deposit at 5 weeks of rent. If the annual rent is £50,000 or more, the cap is 6 weeks. One week of rent is the annual rent divided by 52. A holding deposit is capped at one week of rent.

The calculator works in pence and rounds down, so it never shows more than the law allows.

Rent in advance

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 inserts section 4B into the Housing Act 1988. For tenancies entered into on or after 1 May 2026, a term requiring rent to be paid in advance has no effect. The Act itself states no figure. Commentary from the NRLA and Shelter describes the practical limit as one month of rent (or 28 days where the rent period is shorter). That figure comes from those organisations, not the statute, so check it before relying on it.

Who this calculator is for

Landlords, agents and tenants in England who want to check the most a deposit or holding deposit can be. Enter the rent and how often it is paid, and the calculator does the arithmetic.

Worked examples

Rent of £1,000 a month: annual rent £12,000, one week £230.76, maximum deposit £1,153.84 (5 weeks).
Rent of £500 a month: maximum deposit £576.92 and maximum holding deposit £115.38.
Rent of £1,000 a week: annual rent £52,000, which is £50,000 or more, so the cap is 6 weeks: £6,000.

Why the answer is not "one month plus a bit"

The cap is set in weeks, not months. Five weeks of rent is about 1.15 months, so a deposit of 1.25 months would be over the cap on a monthly tenancy. The law divides annual rent by 52 to find one week.

Holding deposits

A holding deposit, paid to reserve a property, is capped at one week of rent. The Tenant Fees Act 2019 sets rules on when it must be repaid, so read Schedule 1 and the related guidance if a holding deposit is in dispute.

What changed under the Renters' Rights Act 2025

The deposit cap has not changed. The Act deals with rent in advance. The GOV.UK guide to the Renters' Rights Act says landlords cannot require rent in advance beyond one month (or 28 days), and that terms requiring more are unenforceable. Section 4B of the Housing Act 1988, which the Act inserts, states no figure itself, so check the current wording before relying on a number.

If you are the tenant

If a landlord or agent has asked for more than the cap, you can ask for the extra to be returned. Under the Tenant Fees Act 2019, an amount above the cap can be a prohibited payment. Keep a record of what you paid and when, and ask in writing first.

Work out the cap with this calculator.
Compare it with the deposit on your tenancy agreement.
Raise the difference in writing, then take advice if the landlord refuses.

Rounding and pence

The calculator rounds down to the nearest penny, so the figure it shows is never above the legal maximum. A landlord may of course ask for less.

How to check a deposit, step by step

Find the rent on the tenancy agreement and how often it is paid.
Turn it into a yearly figure: weekly rent times 52, fortnightly times 26, every four weeks times 13, monthly times 12.
Divide the yearly rent by 52 to get one week of rent.
Multiply by 5, or by 6 if the yearly rent is £50,000 or more.
Compare the result with the deposit requested. The calculator does all of this for you.

A holding deposit follows the same first three steps, and then the limit is one week of rent.

Common questions

What is the maximum tenancy deposit in England?: Five weeks of rent, or six weeks if the annual rent is £50,000 or more, under the Tenant Fees Act 2019.
How is one week of rent worked out?: Annual rent divided by 52. For monthly rent, multiply by 12 first.
What is the maximum holding deposit?: One week of rent.
Is rent in advance capped?: For tenancies entered into on or after 1 May 2026, a term requiring rent in advance has no effect under the Renters' Rights Act 2025. The Act states no figure. The GOV.UK guide to the Act, NRLA and Shelter describe the practical limit as one month of rent (or 28 days), but that figure comes from them, not the statute.
Why does the calculator round down?: It works in pence and rounds down, so it never shows more than the law allows.
What if the annual rent is exactly £50,000?: The six week cap applies when annual rent is £50,000 or more.

Other free tools

Section 8 notice dates: Earliest date to put on a Section 8 notice.
Section 13 rent increase: Earliest date a rent increase can start.
Deposit deadline: When a deposit must be protected, and when to return it.
Tenancy timeline: Key dates from the start of a new tenancy.

Sources

Last checked 29 October 2026. Found a mistake? Tell us.