The landlord and tenant should mutually agree on the initial rent. During the first six months of a tenancy, tenants can refer the rent to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber - Residential Property) for review if they consider the rent above the market rent. This is, however, very rarely done.
Under the Tenant Fees Act, seeking a rental payment is prohibited in an earlier period than a later period. This can make it tricky for student lettings where rent is payable termly.
Tens of thousands of private tenants are struggling to keep pace with the rising cost of living as rent and bills increase to take an ever-larger share of their earnings.