Holding deposit calculator
A holding deposit for a tenancy in England is capped at one week of rent, calculated as the annual rent divided by 52.
| Monthly rent | Annual rent | Maximum holding deposit |
|---|---|---|
| £500.00 | £6,000.00 | £115.38 |
| £750.00 | £9,000.00 | £173.07 |
| £1,000.00 | £12,000.00 | £230.76 |
| £1,250.00 | £15,000.00 | £288.46 |
| £1,500.00 | £18,000.00 | £346.15 |
| £1,750.00 | £21,000.00 | £403.84 |
| £2,000.00 | £24,000.00 | £461.53 |
| £2,250.00 | £27,000.00 | £519.23 |
| £2,500.00 | £30,000.00 | £576.92 |
| £2,750.00 | £33,000.00 | £634.61 |
| £3,000.00 | £36,000.00 | £692.30 |
| £3,250.00 | £39,000.00 | £750.00 |
| £3,500.00 | £42,000.00 | £807.69 |
| £3,750.00 | £45,000.00 | £865.38 |
| £4,000.00 | £48,000.00 | £923.07 |
| £4,250.00 | £51,000.00 | £980.76 |
| £4,500.00 | £54,000.00 | £1,038.46 |
LLCR
LLCR is a private compliance register for landlords and letting agents in England. It keeps every certificate, deadline, notice and proof of service for each property in one tamper-evident record, so the evidence exists in order when a tenant, a council or a court asks for it. It is not a government service and is separate from the Private Rented Sector Database and any other statutory register.
Holding deposits, tenancy deposits and what happened to each, on one record.
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How this is calculated
The annual rent comes first. A monthly rent is multiplied by 12. A weekly rent is multiplied by 52.
The cap is one week of rent, and paragraph 3(4) defines that week as the annual rent divided by 52. The definition works from the rent payable immediately after the tenancy is granted, renewed or continued, so a stepped rent uses its opening figure.
The displayed cap is rounded down to the penny. Under paragraph 3(3), the amount above the cap is a prohibited payment, so rounding up could put the figure over the line the statute draws.
Worked example
Take a rent of £1,200 per month.
- The annual rent is £1,200 multiplied by 12, which is £14,400.
- The cap is one week of rent, so the annual figure is divided by 52. That gives £276.923076 and so on.
- Rounded down to the penny, the maximum holding deposit is £276.92.
Based on the figures entered, the most that may be taken to hold this tenancy is £276.92. Anything above that figure is a prohibited payment under paragraph 3(3), however briefly it is held.
Frequently asked questions
Is a holding deposit refundable?
Usually, yes. Schedule 2 of the Tenant Fees Act 2019 requires repayment where the tenancy goes ahead, where the landlord decides not to proceed before the deadline for agreement, or where no tenancy has been agreed by that deadline. Repayment is due within 7 days of whichever of those events applies. With the tenant's consent the money can instead be put towards the first rent payment or the tenancy deposit.
When may a holding deposit be retained?
Schedule 2 sets out the exceptions. The deposit may be retained where the tenant withdraws before the deadline for agreement, where the tenant fails to take reasonable steps to enter the tenancy while the landlord takes them, where the tenant gives false or misleading information the landlord is reasonably entitled to take into account, or where section 22 of the Immigration Act 2014 prohibits granting the tenancy and the landlord did not know and could not reasonably have known that before the deposit was accepted. Relying on an exception also needs a written notice explaining the decision, given within 7 days of the decision or the deadline for agreement, or the right to retain is lost.
How does a holding deposit relate to the tenancy deposit?
They are separate payments with separate caps under separate paragraphs of Schedule 1. Where the tenancy goes ahead, Schedule 2, paragraph 6 allows the holding deposit, with the tenant's consent, to be put towards the tenancy deposit. Paragraph 7 then treats the amount applied as received for deposit protection purposes on the date of the tenancy agreement, which is the date the protection clock in section 213 of the Housing Act 2004 starts running.
How long may a holding deposit be held before it must be dealt with?
Schedule 2 works from the deadline for agreement, which is day 15 of the period beginning with the day the deposit is received, unless the parties agree a different day in writing. If the tenancy has not been entered into by that deadline and no exception applies, repayment is due within 7 days of the deadline. Where the landlord decides not to proceed earlier, the 7 day period runs from that decision instead.
Statutory source
The holding deposit cap is set by Schedule 1, paragraph 3 of the Tenant Fees Act 2019. Paragraph 3(3) makes the amount above one week's rent a prohibited payment, and paragraph 3(4) defines that week as the annual rent immediately after the grant, renewal or continuance of the tenancy, divided by 52. Schedule 2 governs what happens to the money afterwards: the deadline for agreement, the repayment triggers, and the limited grounds on which a holding deposit may be retained.
Last reviewed 21 August 2026.
This tool provides general information based on legislation applying to England. It is not legal advice and does not account for every circumstance. Figures should be confirmed against the current legislation or with a qualified adviser before being relied on.
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