Short answer
In England, letting agents and property managers must publish a list of their fees on their website, with each fee described clearly, marked as per tenant or per property, and shown including tax, alongside a statement naming their redress and client money protection schemes. The same information must be available where they advertise lettings on portals or social media, either in full or by a link. The penalty can be up to £5,000 per breach. Wales has its own similar requirement.
Fee transparency has been a legal requirement for letting agents in England since 2015, and the Tenant Fees Act 2019 tightened it. It is still easy to get wrong, for example by tucking fees into a PDF or spreading them across several pages. This guide explains what the rules require and how to build a fee page that meets them and actually helps landlords and tenants. It is not legal advice.
The rule in England
The duty comes from Chapter 3 of Part 3 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015, as amended by the Tenant Fees Act 2019. Guidance from the National Trading Standards letting team, hosted by Bristol City Council, sets out what agents must do.[1] In summary, a letting agent or property manager must publish:
- a fee list covering the fees charged to landlords for letting agency or property management work, and any permitted payments that may be required from tenants;
- enough detail for a landlord or tenant to understand what each fee is for;
- whether each fee is per tenant or per property;
- the amount including any tax, or an explanation of how the fee is calculated if the tax cannot be determined in advance;
- a scheme statement, alongside the fee list, saying that you are a member of the redress scheme and, if applicable, the client money protection scheme you are required to join, and naming each one.
The guidance names three places this information must appear: at each office where you deal with customers face to face, in a place they are likely to see it; on your website; and on third-party sites you use to advertise lettings in England, such as property portals and social media, where you must either publish the information or link to the page on your own website where it appears.[1]
Failing to display or publish the information can lead to a financial penalty of up to £5,000 per breach.[1]
What tenants can be charged
The Tenant Fees Act 2019 restricts the payments landlords and agents can take from tenants in England to a short list of permitted payments, such as rent, a capped tenancy deposit, a capped holding deposit, and certain default fees. Most other charges to tenants are banned. Your fee page should list only the permitted payments that may actually apply, described clearly. If you are unsure what is permitted, check the official government guidance on the Act or ask your professional body before publishing.
From 1 May 2026, the Renters' Rights Act also bans asking for more than one month's rent in advance for most tenancies in England.[2] Tenant-facing wording on your fee page and listings should reflect that limit.
The rule in Wales
Wales has separate legislation, the Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Wales) Act 2019. Business Companion's guidance for Wales says agents must display a list of relevant fees in each of their premises where they meet clients face to face, and on their website if they have one, in a conspicuous place.[3] Each fee must be listed with a description and purpose, whether it is payable for the accommodation or by each contract-holder, its total amount including taxes and, where it cannot be known in advance, how it will be calculated.[3]
The permitted payments in Wales differ from England. They include rent, a security deposit, a holding deposit capped at one week's rent, default payments within prescribed limits, and certain bills; all other fees are prohibited.[3] Agents in Wales also need a Rent Smart Wales licence.[3] If you trade in both nations, publish two clearly labelled fee lists and make sure each listing links to the right one.
Designing a fee page that works
Meeting the rule is one thing. Making the page useful is another, and the two are closely connected: a page that people can read is more likely to be understood, which is the point of the rule.
Use a web page, not a PDF
A PDF can technically satisfy the publishing requirement, but it is harder to read on a phone, often fails accessibility checks, and cannot be linked to section by section. An HTML page with a clear table is better for tenants, landlords and search engines alike.
Separate the audiences
Landlord fees and tenant payments answer different questions. Put them in separate, clearly headed sections on the same page, with anchor links at the top so each reader can jump straight to their part.
Write descriptions people understand
"Set-up fee" tells a landlord nothing. "Set-up fee: agreeing the rent, taking references, preparing the tenancy agreement and registering the deposit" tells them what they are paying for.
Show the basis and the tax
Every line should say whether it is per tenant or per property, and give the amount including VAT. If a fee is a percentage of rent, show the percentage including VAT and a worked example.
| Service or fee | What it covers | Basis | Amount including VAT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tenant find | Marketing, viewings, referencing, tenancy agreement and move-in | Per property | [your figure] |
| Rent collection | Tenant find, plus collecting rent and chasing arrears | Per property, monthly | [percentage of rent, with example] |
| Full management | Rent collection, plus repairs, inspections and day-to-day management | Per property, monthly | [percentage of rent, with example] |
| Inventory | Detailed inventory and schedule of condition at the start of the tenancy | Per property | [your figure by property size] |
The figures in square brackets are placeholders to show the layout, not suggested prices.
Put the scheme statement beside the fees
The guidance asks for the scheme statement alongside your fee list.[1] A short box directly under the fee table, naming your redress scheme and client money protection scheme, with a link to your client money protection certificate, does the job. Our guide to scheme logos and certificates covers this.
Link from every rental listing
Each rental listing should carry a short line such as "Tenant fees and permitted payments apply" linking directly to the tenant section of the fee page. On portals and social media profiles, link to the same page.
Keeping it current
Fee pages go wrong when fees change in the office but not online. The simplest protection is to hold every fee figure in one place on the website and reuse it wherever it appears, so a change happens once. Add a visible "last updated" date to the page, and review it whenever your terms of business change.
Do we need to publish fees we rarely charge?
The list should cover the fees you charge landlords and the permitted payments that may be required from tenants. If a fee exists in your terms, it belongs on the list.
Can we just say "fees available on request"?
No. The requirement is to publish the fee list, not to offer it on request.
Does this apply to property management companies?
Yes. The guidance covers fees for letting agency work and property management work.
We advertise on social media. Do we need the fee list there?
The guidance says that on third-party sites used to advertise lettings in England, you must publish the information or link to the page on your own website where it appears. A link on your profile is a simple way to do this.
Sources
Checked on 29 October 2026. Each entry says what kind of source it is.
- Publishing fees and scheme information, National Trading Standards Letting Agency Team (Bristol City Council) (regulator or enforcement guidance)
- Implementing the Renters' Rights Act 2025: our roadmap for reforming the private rented sector (13 November 2025), Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (government publication)
- Landlords, letting agents and property management (Wales), reviewed June 2026, Business Companion (Trading Standards guidance) (regulator or enforcement guidance)