Two separate rules, both new from 1 May 2026: nothing can be taken before the tenancy agreement is signed, and after signing, at most one month's rent before the tenancy starts.
A landlord or agent cannot ask for, encourage, or accept any rent before the tenancy agreement is signed. This is one of the “anti-gaming” duties introduced alongside the wider tenancy reforms, aimed at practices that let a landlord effectively secure a tenant's commitment — and their money — before the tenancy is legally in place.
Once the agreement is signed, the landlord may require at most one month's rent before the tenancy begins — or the equivalent of 28 days' rent for tenancies with a shorter rent period than monthly.
| Monthly rent | Maximum advance rent after signing |
|---|---|
| £1,200 | £1,200 |
| £950 | £950 |
Both rules bite at the pre-tenancy stage, which is exactly where they're easiest to breach without noticing — a deposit paid, a first month taken, and a signature collected all within the same conversation. Check the order these happen in, not just the amounts.
This is separate from the tenancy deposit cap (5 or 6 weeks' rent) and the holding deposit cap (1 week's rent). All three limits can apply to the same tenancy at different stages, and none of them substitute for the others.
Breaches carry a civil penalty of up to £7,000 for an initial breach, rising to £40,000 for repeat or serious breaches — with a statutory starting point of £25,000 at that higher level.
These duties are part of the Renters' Rights Act 2025, in force since 1 May 2026, and are covered in the government's guidance collection.
Advance rent is checked automatically against the one-month cap as soon as it's entered, and rent taken before signing is flagged as a standalone breach, separate from the amount check.
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