Why it matters
What PCM (Per Calendar Month) means for a landlord
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 the excess into a prohibited payment under the Tenant Fees Act 2019, repayable to the tenant and carrying a penalty of up to £5,000.
Worked example
How it plays out
A flat in Leeds is advertised at £300 per week. Multiplying by four gives £1,200, but the correct monthly figure is £300 × 52 ÷ 12 = £1,300 pcm. The deposit cap is five weeks’ rent, £1,500. A landlord who worked backwards from £1,300 divided by four would think the weekly rent was £325 and take £1,625, which is over the cap.
Common mistakes
Where landlords go wrong
- 01Converting weekly rent to monthly by multiplying by four.
- 02Working out the deposit cap from the monthly rent divided by four.
- 03Mixing weekly and monthly figures in the same agreement.
What to do
A short checklist
- Convert weekly to monthly with × 52 ÷ 12, and monthly to weekly with × 12 ÷ 52.
- State the rent and the rent period clearly in the tenancy.
- Work out the deposit cap from the annual rent.
Sources
Checked against these sources on 16 September 2026. A guide to the rules in England, not legal advice: for a dispute or a possession claim, speak to a solicitor.
