Rental bidding: a guide for landlords
Source: gov.uk (2025-11-13)

This is a guide is for landlords and letting agents on publishing a price when advertising a property to rent, and not accepting bids above this price.

The Renters’ Rights Act will change laws about renting and this guidance has been published to help private rented sector landlords and agents prepare. The new rules will apply on or from 1 May 2026.

On or from 1 May 2026, you or your letting agent will not be allowed to ask for, encourage or accept an offer that is higher than the advertised rent. If someone offers to pay more than the advertised rent for a property, this is known as ‘rental bidding’.

You may be fined up to £7,000 for your first offence.

When you advertise a property

When you advertise or offer a property in writing, you will need to include how much the rent will be. It will need to be a specific amount as a price range will not be allowed.

A written advert may be:

an online property advert

a printed advert

a social media post

any digital communication, for example, emails, text messages or direct messages

It does not include ‘to let’ signs outside a property.

After you’ve advertised a property

After you’ve published an advertised price for your property, you will not be allowed to:

ask for offers above the advertised rent

publish a price range for the property and ask tenants to bid within that range, or higher

encourage someone to offer more than the advertised rent

tell someone you have received other bids to encourage them to bid more than the advertised rent

act in any way that leads a person to believe they need to offer more than the advertised rent

accept an offer to pay more than the advertised rent

If someone offers more than the advertised rent

You will not be able to accept an offer that is more than the advertised rent.

You may be reported to the local council if you accept a higher offer, even if the tenancy agreement has been signed.

If someone reports you for ‘rental bidding’

The council may ask for:

evidence of the advertised rent

the tenancy agreement

a statement

If the council agrees that rental bidding has happened, they may issue a civil penalty notice of up to £7,000 for your first offence.

You could be fined for a ‘repeated breach’ if you commit the same offence within 5 years. If you are fined for a ‘repeated breach’, you will have to pay:

up to £7,000 for the breach on its own

up to £7,000 if you repeat the same type of breach within 5 years

Example

You advertise a property but do not include the price of rent in the written advert. Someone reports this and you’re fined up to £7,000.

2 years later you advertise another property without including the price of rent. Someone reports this and you are fined up to £7,000 for the breach as well as another £7,000 for the ‘repeated breach’.

You could pay a total of £21,000 for the 2 offences.

It will not be a ‘repeated breach’ if you are reported for different things.

Example

You advertise a property but do not include the price of rent in the written advert. Someone reports this and you’re fined up to £7,000.

One year later, you advertise another property and include the price of rent in the written advert, but you then accept an offer of more than the amount advertised. Someone reports this and you’re fined up to an additional £7,000.

You could pay a total of £14,000 for the 2 offences.

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