Section 3 Prohibitions applying to letting agentsC1I1
It is an offence for a letting agent to require a prohibited payment to be made to the letting agent, or any other person—
in consideration of arranging the grant, renewal or continuance of a standard occupation contract, or
pursuant to a term of a standard occupation contract which purports to require the payment to be made.
It is an offence for a letting agent to require a person to enter into a contract for services with the letting agent, or any other person—
in consideration of arranging the grant, renewal or continuance of a standard occupation contract, or
pursuant to a term of a standard occupation contract which purports to require entry into the contract for services.
But subsection (2) does not apply if the contract for services concerned is a contract between a landlord and a letting agent only, in respect of lettings work or property management work to be carried out by the agent on the landlord's behalf.
It is an offence for a letting agent to require the grant of a loan to the letting agent, or any other person—
in consideration of arranging the grant, renewal or continuance of a standard occupation contract, or
pursuant to a term of a standard occupation contract which purports to require the loan to be made.
A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable on summary conviction to a fine.
The court by which a person (“the offender”) is convicted of an offence under subsection (1) may order the offender to pay the amount of the payment concerned or (in a case where part of the payment has been repaid) the outstanding amount of the payment to the person by whom it was paid.
Annotations
Modifications
- C1
Part 2 applied (with modifications) (1.9.2019) by the Renting of Homes (Fees etc.) (Wales) Act 2019 (Transitional Provision for Assured Shorthold Tenancies) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/1151), reg. 1(2), 3
Commencement
- I1
S. 3 in force at 1.9.2019 by S.I. 2019/1150, art. 2(a)
Notes on the whole Act
Textual amendments
- F1
Title substituted (1.6.2026) by Renters’ Rights Act 2025 (c. 26), ss. 45(2), 145(3) (with s. 138); W.S.I. 2026/6, art. 2(c)