'UNREASONABLE' fees charged to tenants who rent their homes have been outlawed.

The Tenant Fees Act, introduced by government on Saturday aims to protect renters from being charged hundreds of pounds for administrative fees.

Deposits will also be capped at 5 weeks rent and landlords and agents are only able to charge for "reasonably incurred" costs for lost keys or other security devices and must provide evidence of these costs before they can impose any charges.

Announcing the new law, communities secretary James Brokenshire said the act was part of a package of laws aimed at helping tenants.

He said "From today, tenants will no longer be stung by unreasonable costs from agents or landlords, thanks to the implementation of the Tenant Fees Act. This act bans unnecessary letting fees and caps the majority of deposits at 5 weeks’ rent – helping renters keep more of their hard-earned cash.

"Alongside our recent announcement to scrap no fault evictions in the sector, this will make renting fairer and more transparent – creating a housing market that works for everyone."