With a week to go until the tenant fees ban kicks in, agents have every intention to be compliant – but many appear to be taking it right down to the wire.

A large number of lettings adverts on the portals are still showing fees and quoting deposits larger than the cap of five weeks worth of rent that becomes mandatory in seven days’ time, at midnight on June 1.

Some listings are showing the higher deposits even though the properties being advertised do not become available until later this summer.

For example, we found some properties on Rightmove, advertised by OpenRent, showing higher deposits than will be allowed.

A property that becomes available on the day the ban becomes law costs £1,150 per calendar month, but a deposit of £1,500 is required.

Another that is not available until July 3 shows a rent of £1,350 per calendar month, with a £2,000 deposit.

A one-bedroom flat that will cost £825 per calendar month and where “fees apply” is not available until June 15, but a £1,200 deposit is required.

Daz Bradbury, of OpenRent, confirmed the listings but said: “The properties and adverts will be updated prior to the fee ban next week.

“We’re making sure that tenants and landlords have the opportunity to complete tenancies prior to the fee ban with a six-week deposit if they so wish.

“Once the fee ban is active our systems won’t allow a tenancy to be signed that falls foul of the law.”

Lettings platform Goodlord said yesterday that it will automatically remove fees and cap both holdings and security deposits to the new amounts.

Also from June 1, tenants will be automatically shown a draft copy of their AST agreement, with the Goodlord platform noting that tenants have reviewed the document.

Rightmove also issued advice yesterday as the countdown continues.

A spokesperson said: “From June 1, Rightmove will be changing the current ‘Fees Apply’ link on all rental listings in England and Wales, to ‘Tenancy Info’.

“Over the past month we’ve been communicating the upcoming changes to letting agents in England and Wales and helping them to get ready for the changes if they use a data feed or if they manually upload property listings to Rightmove.

“We’ve also been contacting data feed providers about the changes to support our customers.

“The ‘Tenancy Info’ section on every listing is where agents can publish details of their redress scheme and client money protection memberships, plus any permitted payments to comply with the new Tenant Fees Act (in England, from June 1) or The Renting Homes (Fees etc) (Wales) Bill (in Wales, when it comes into effect).

“We’ve provided some guide text to help agents, although this is not legal advice so agents should seek out their own independent advice for specific queries about compliance with the new legislation.”

Information for agents on the Rightmove hub includes a webinar:

https://hub.rightmove.co.uk/the-tenant-fees-ban-5-weeks-to-go/

Plus advice on how you should change your rental listings on Rightmove to comply with the Act:

https://hub.rightmove.co.uk/tenant-fees-act-what-are-we-doing-to-help-agents-comply/

OnTheMarket will also be turning ‘Fees Apply’ into ‘Tenancy Info’.

A spokesperson told EYE yesterday: “OnTheMarket is committed to assisting agents to comply with the Tenant Fees Act by June 1.

“Where a property profile currently shows ‘Fees apply’, this will change to ‘Tenancy Info’ and link to a page which states permitted payments, details of the agent’s membership of a redress scheme and details of the agent’s membership of a Client Money Protection (CMP) scheme.

“The ‘Tenancy Info’ will be specific to each agent and is to be updated by each agent.

“If agents do not update their ‘Tenancy Info’ page via OnTheMarket Expert by the deadline, OnTheMarket will publish a default page detailing which fees can still be applicable in a tenancy agreement.

“Similarly, where agents provide their updated fees information within a data feed, this information will be published.

“We shall shortly be communicating accordingly with our letting agents.”