PCM (Per Calendar Month)
PCM stands for "per calendar month" — the standard way UK rent is advertised (e.g. "£1,200 pcm"). It is the rent due each month regardless of how many days that month has. To convert a weekly rent (pw) to pcm, multiply by 52 and divide by 12; dividing weekly rent by 4 understates the true monthly figure. The legal tenancy deposit cap and Section 13 rent-increase rules are all calculated from the monthly (or annualised) rent, so getting pcm right matters beyond the advert.
At a glance
- Means
- Per calendar month
- Weekly → pcm
- rent × 52 ÷ 12
- Also seen
- pw = per week
Full guide
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Open full guideWhy PCM (Per Calendar Month) matters for landlords
Landlords routinely lose money by converting weekly rent with the wrong formula: £300 pw is £1,300 pcm (×52÷12), not £1,200 (×4) — a £1,200/year difference. The pcm figure also drives the lawful deposit cap (5 weeks’ rent under £50k annual, 6 weeks’ at or above), so an incorrect monthly rent can push a deposit over the cap and turn it into a banned fee that blocks most Section 8 grounds.
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Official sources
LetCompliance editorial reviews this entry every quarter against the sources above. Always confirm specific duties with a qualified solicitor or your local council.
Related terms
Local Housing Allowance (LHA)
The Universal Credit / Housing Benefit element used to calculate the maximum rent the state will support for a tenant on benefits. Set at the 30th percentile of local market rents and frozen for long periods, with cash-terms uplifts at the 2024 Autumn Statement and ongoing periodic reviews. Materially below market rent in most of London and the South East, which is why LHA-only tenancies often need a guarantor or top-up payment from the tenant.
PAT Testing (Portable Appliance Testing)
Electrical safety testing of portable appliances (kettles, lamps, toasters) supplied with the tenancy. Not legally required for private rentals in England, but recommended good practice and sometimes required by insurers and HMO licences.
Periodic Tenancy
A tenancy that continues from period to period (usually monthly) with no fixed end date. From 1 May 2026 all assured tenancies in England are periodic by default under the Renters Rights Act 2025. Tenants can end the tenancy with two months' notice.
Possession Order
The court order made at the end of a possession claim, requiring the tenant to give up the property to the landlord on a specified date. Two main types under Section 8: outright (give up by a fixed date, typically 14–42 days) or suspended (postponed if the tenant complies with terms, e.g. clearing arrears). If the tenant does not leave by the date in the order the landlord must apply for a Warrant of Possession to enforce eviction by a county court bailiff or High Court Enforcement Officer.
Possession Warrant (Warrant of Possession)
The court instruction authorising a county court bailiff to physically evict the tenant after a Possession Order has expired without the tenant leaving. Applied for on form N325, currently runs at a £130 court fee plus the bailiff’s scheduling waiting list (often 6–12 weeks in busy regions). Higher-value claims (over £600) can be transferred to the High Court for enforcement by a High Court Enforcement Officer (Writ of Possession), which is significantly faster but more expensive.
Prescribed Information
A document landlords must give tenants within 30 days of receiving a deposit, alongside deposit protection. It tells the tenant which scheme holds the deposit, how to reclaim it and how to raise a dispute. Failure to serve it can result in a penalty of 1-3 times the deposit.