Can an agent make me use their cleaning company or insurer, or charge for keys or changes to my tenancy?Beta*

No to the cleaning company, and only limited charges for the others. Under the Tenant Fees Act a landlord or agent can't require you to buy a service from someone they choose, such as a named professional cleaning firm at the end of the tenancy, an inventory or check-in company, a particular insurance policy, or a repair-reporting app with a subscription, as a condition of renting. You only have to leave the place as clean as it was at the start. A lost key can be charged at the actual, reasonable cost of replacing it (with receipts), not an inflated set fee. A change to the tenancy that you asked for, such as swapping a tenant or guarantor, can cost no more than £50, or more only if the agent can show higher reasonable costs. There is no charge for correcting the agent's own mistakes, or for things like seeing your deposit certificate or using a repair-reporting website. Extra charges for paying rent by debit or credit card are also banned.

Sources: GOV.UK: Tenant Fees Act guidance