Deposits - Private Renters in Camden

Deposits

There are two types of deposit you may be asked to pay when looking to rent from a private landlord: a holding deposit or a tenancy deposit.

Holding deposits

A holding deposit is usually requested by a landlord or letting agent so that you can reserve a property. It may be required after a viewing and before a contract is signed. If you go on to rent the property, this amount is usually deducted from your first month’s rent.

What you need to know about holding deposits

A holding deposit cannot be more than the equivalent of one week's rent.
You may not get your money back, so be sure you want to proceed before paying.
You may not get your holding deposit back if you provide false information in your tenancy application. If the landlord or letting agent keeps your holding deposit, they must tell you in writing within 7 days — if they fail to do this, they may be required to repay it.
Once your tenancy begins, the holding deposit must be refunded within 7 days, or you can agree to offset it against your first month's rent or your tenancy deposit.
Always get a receipt for any payment, especially if paying in cash.
Never make payments if you have not seen the property.
Find out your landlord and letting agent's name and contact details. Ask whether they are members of any organisations such as the NRLA or LLAS (landlords) or a property redress scheme (letting agents). Check their details online.

You can find more details on the Shelter website.

You can use the the Mayor of London's Rogue Landlord and Agent Checker to see which landlords and agents have previously been fined or prosecuted in London.

Holding deposit scams

A common scam involves criminals copying property listings and photographs from legitimate letting agent websites and posting them on Facebook, Gumtree, or similar platforms. The scammer asks for a holding deposit to secure the property and then disappears with your money before a viewing is arranged.

Where possible, make payments by debit or credit card. If you have been the victim of a scam you may be able to recover money through a chargeback or under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974.

If this has happened to you, contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 1133 (Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm) or visit their website for guidance on getting your money back. You can also contact Action Fraud.

Tenancy deposits

You will usually be asked to provide a tenancy deposit before moving into a home.

A tenancy deposit is taken to cover any damage or unpaid rent. It will be held until the end of your tenancy and you should get it back in full unless there are reasons for deductions.

What you need to know before paying the tenancy deposit

A tenancy deposit cannot be more than the equivalent of five weeks' rent if the rent for the year is less than £50,000. If the rent is over £50,000 the landlord can ask for up to 6 weeks’ rent.
It must be protected within 30 days of receipt in one of three government-approved schemes. Your landlord must also provide you with information about which scheme is being used and how to access it. If this is not done, you may be able to claim compensation of up to three times the deposit amount, and your landlord may be unable to rely on certain possession grounds.
If you are in dispute with your landlord about the deposit at the end of your tenancy, each of the three schemes provides an independent dispute resolution service.
In addition to the tenancy deposit, your landlord or letting agent can only ask for a maximum of one month's rent in advance. See below for further details.

You can find out more information about checking your deposit is protected on the Shelter website. Link: https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/tenancy_deposits/check_your_tenancy_deposit_is_protected

Rent in advance

From 1 May 2026, a landlord cannot ask for, encourage or accept rent before a tenancy agreement has been signed by them or their letting agent and the tenant. If a tenant pays their rent monthly, then a landlord can ask them to pay their first month’s rent at any time between signing the tenancy agreement and the tenancy starting (the pre-tenancy period). If the tenant is paying rent more frequently than monthly, for example, weekly, the landlord can ask the tenant to pay up to the first 28 days’ rent during the pre-tenancy period.

Important — if you have an existing tenancy
If your tenancy was agreed before 1 May 2026 and your agreement contains a term requiring more than one month's rent in advance, that term remains in effect as part of the transitional arrangements under the Renters' Rights Act 2025.

How to complain

If you have been charged more than one week's rent for a holding deposit, more than five weeks' rent for a tenancy deposit, or more than one month's rent in advance, Trading Standards can investigate.

Report this to the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 1133, Monday to Friday 9am-5pm. This helpline will give you advice and pass your complaint to the relevant local Trading Standards Service.