Landlords will be banned from charging upfront tenancy fees from 1st June, over two years after the proposals were announced.
The government’s housing spokesperson in the House of Lords, Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth, confirmed the date during the third reading of the Tenant Fees Bill in the upper house.
He said: “It has been clear throughout that this is a Bill that will introduce important changes for the private rented sector.
“We need to enable agents and landlords to become compliant but we intend for the provisions to come into force on June 1st 2019.”
The bill came about after campaigns by both Labour and certain Lib Dems to ban agency letting fees.
Campaign group, Generation Rent, found that the typical two person household paid £404 in letting fees every time they moved. Fees ranged from £44 to an eye-watering £813, according to their research.
The legislation will cap security deposits at five weeks rent for most rental properties and default fees will be limited to charges for replacement keys and late rent payment.