Move-home guide

How much money do you need to move out?

Short answer

In England, a landlord can ask for a holding deposit of up to one week's rent, a tenancy deposit of up to five weeks' rent and up to one month's rent in advance. On £1,000 a month, the deposit and first month's rent come to £2,153.85. Add about £380 for a first month of bills living alone.

Updated 15 October 2026

1 week

of rent, the most a holding deposit can be in England

5 weeks

of rent, the most a tenancy deposit can be below £50,000 a year

1 month

of rent in advance, the cap in England since 1 May 2026

See the worked example First rented home? Setting up bills when renting

Moving out costs more than the first month's rent. In England the law limits what a landlord can ask for before you move in, and the bills start the day you get the keys. This guide sets out the limits in each nation, what the first month's bills come to and a worked example you can redo with your own rent.

England

What can a landlord ask you to pay before you move in?

Three payments, each with a legal limit in England. Most other fees are banned.

Holding deposit: up to one week's rent, to reserve the home while the landlord carries out checks. A landlord who returns it must do so within 7 days, or with your agreement it can go towards your first month's rent or the deposit.
A landlord can keep the holding deposit only if you give false or misleading information, change your mind, do not reply to requests for information or documents, or fail a Right to Rent check, and must tell you why in writing within 7 days.
Tenancy deposit: up to five weeks' rent if the rent for the year is under £50,000, and up to six weeks' rent if it is between £50,000 and £100,000. It must be kept in a government-approved deposit protection scheme.
Rent in advance: none before you both sign the tenancy agreement, then up to one month's rent, or 28 days' rent if you pay weekly. A landlord can ask for more if the council arranged the tenancy because you were legally homeless, or if the home is let as social or supported housing.
Other payments are limited too. GOV.UK lists the ones allowed, such as up to £50 for changing the tenancy and agreed charges for utilities, council tax or a TV Licence.

Sources: GOV.UK: Tenant Fees Act 2019, guidance for tenants (England, updated 7 July 2026) (read 15 October 2026); GOV.UK: assured periodic tenancies, rent in advance and deposits (England) (read 15 October 2026)

Setting up bills when renting for the first time

What changed

What changed on rent in advance in May 2026?

The Renters' Rights Act capped it. The cap applies to private renting in England.

GOV.UK says the Renters' Rights Act changes how landlords let out private properties on or from 1 May 2026.
Your landlord cannot ask for, encourage or accept rent before you have signed the tenancy agreement.
Once you have signed, you can be asked for a maximum of one month's rent in advance.
You can complain if a landlord or letting agent asks you to pay rent before you sign.

Sources: GOV.UK: Renters' Rights Act overview for tenants (England) (read 15 October 2026); GOV.UK: assured periodic tenancies, rent in advance and deposits (England) (read 15 October 2026)

Across the UK

What are the rules in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland?

Each nation sets its own deposit rules, and England's rent in advance cap applies in England only.

Wales: the Welsh Government says you should not pay more than one week's rent as a holding deposit, and a landlord has up to 30 days to protect your security deposit in a government-approved scheme. Its tenant guidance gives no maximum for the security deposit.
Scotland: mygov.scot says a landlord or letting agent can charge a deposit of up to 2 months' rent, and that it is against the law to charge any other fees for starting or renewing a tenancy.
Northern Ireland: nidirect says a landlord or agent cannot ask for a deposit of more than one month's rent, and has 28 days to protect it in a tenancy deposit scheme.

Sources: Welsh Government: letting fees, guidance for tenants (read 15 October 2026); Welsh Government: deposits, guidance for tenants (read 15 October 2026); mygov.scot: tenancy deposits, a guide for tenants (read 15 October 2026); nidirect: private rent and tenancies (read 15 October 2026)

First month

What will the first month's bills cost?

About £380 for one person living alone, or £482.72 for a couple, at average October to December 2026 prices. Taupia's arithmetic.

One person living alone: energy £100.65, a first council tax instalment of £179.40, water £53.25, broadband £31.64 and a TV Licence £15.00, a total of £379.94.
A couple: energy £143.63, council tax £239.20, water £53.25, broadband £31.64 and a TV Licence £15.00, a total of £482.72, or £241.36 each.
Energy: you start on the home's existing supplier's deemed contract, its default or standard variable tariff, which Ofgem says is usually among a supplier's most expensive. Read the meters on the day you move in.
Standing charges run from day one: 84.51p a day for electricity and gas at Great Britain average Direct Debit rates, before you use anything.
Council tax is usually split into 10 monthly payments, as here, and you can ask to spread it over 12. The figures use England's average Band D with the single person discount for one person.
You only need a TV Licence to watch or record live TV or use BBC iPlayer.

Average household bills by household type

Worked example

How much do you need to rent a £1,000 a month flat?

Up to £2,153.85 for the deposit and first month's rent, plus about £379.94 of bills: £2,533.79 in all for one person in England. Taupia's arithmetic, using a round rent to keep the sums easy to follow.

1
Work out a week's rent
Multiply the monthly rent by 12 and divide by 52. On £1,000 a month, a week's rent is £230.77.
2
Set aside the holding deposit
Up to one week's rent, so £230.77 here. Unless you pull out or another listed reason applies, it comes back within 7 days, or with your agreement goes towards the first rent or the deposit.
3
Budget for the tenancy deposit
Up to five weeks' rent when the yearly rent is under £50,000, so £1,153.85 here, held in a government-approved protection scheme.
4
Pay the first month's rent
Nothing before you both sign the tenancy agreement, then up to one month's rent in advance: £1,000 here.
5
Add the first month's bills
About £379.94 for one person living alone at average prices: energy, a first council tax instalment, water, broadband and a TV Licence.

Sources: GOV.UK: Tenant Fees Act 2019, guidance for tenants (England, updated 7 July 2026) (read 15 October 2026); GOV.UK: Renters' Rights Act overview for tenants (England) (read 15 October 2026)

Where Taupia fits

How can Taupia help when I move out?

Before you move, Taupia tells you which energy supplier already serves your new home and compares energy, broadband and mobile deals, switching only once your household approves.
It keeps your energy, broadband, mobile and water bills in one place, and splits them with anyone you live with, tracking who has paid without moving money.
Council tax stays with your council. Taupia does not set up council tax or switch water.
Taupia is free.

Moving out FAQ

Questions about the cost of moving out

How much money do I need to move out of my parents' house?

Renting in England, budget for up to five weeks' rent as a deposit, up to one month's rent in advance and your first month's bills. On £1,000 a month that is £2,153.85 plus about £380 of bills living alone, before furniture or removal costs.

How much is a holding deposit?

In England, no more than one week's rent, which is the monthly rent times 12, divided by 52. Unless you pull out or another reason GOV.UK lists applies, the landlord returns it within 7 days or, with your agreement, puts it towards the first rent or the deposit. Wales also caps it at one week's rent.

How much rent can a landlord ask for in advance?

In England, nothing before you both sign the tenancy agreement, then a maximum of one month's rent, or 28 days' rent if you pay weekly. GOV.UK says these Renters' Rights Act changes apply to private lets on or from 1 May 2026.

How big can a tenancy deposit be?

In England, up to five weeks' rent if the yearly rent is under £50,000, and up to six weeks' rent between £50,000 and £100,000. Scotland allows up to 2 months' rent and Northern Ireland one month's rent. In each nation the landlord usually has to protect it in a tenancy deposit scheme.

What bills do I pay in my first month?

Energy from the day you move in, a first council tax instalment, water, broadband and a TV Licence if you watch live TV or use BBC iPlayer. At average prices that is about £379.94 for one person living alone, or £482.72 for a couple, at October to December 2026 prices.

Can a landlord charge fees for moving in?

In England, only the payments GOV.UK lists as allowed, such as rent, a capped deposit and holding deposit, up to £50 for changing the tenancy and agreed charges for bills. In Scotland, mygov.scot says it is against the law to charge any other fees for starting or renewing a tenancy.

Related guides

From the first payment to the first bill

Guides for setting up and sharing the bills once you have the keys.

Start here

Setting up bills when renting for the first time

Recommended

What each of the five bills is, who charges it and when to set it up.

Official references

Cite this page

Taupia. "How much money do you need to move out?". Last updated 15 October 2026. https://taupia.com/move-home/cost-of-moving-out

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