Wider evidence, as well as Generation Rent’s own research, clearly demonstrates that private rental tenants continue to struggle with meeting housing costs, particularly at the beginning of a tenancy. A large part of these high upfront costs consists of the tenancy (or ‘security’) deposit, with the average deposit in England and Wales totaling £1,118.5 The deposit is set at a maximum of five weeks’ rent in England and two months’ rent in Scotland.
