Landlord guide · UK
PCM meaning: what per calendar month rent is
PCM stands for per calendar month. It is the standard way UK rents are advertised and written into tenancy agreements. Converting between weekly and monthly rent correctly matters for advertising, deposit caps and Section 13 rent increases.
Converting weekly rent to PCM
- 1
Start with the weekly rent
Take the weekly figure, for example £300 per week.
- 2
Multiply by 52
£300 × 52 = £15,600 a year.
- 3
Divide by 12
£15,600 ÷ 12 = £1,300 PCM. Simply multiplying weekly rent by four undercounts by about two weeks a year.
Where PCM matters for landlords
- Deposit caps, which are set in weeks of rent.
- Section 13 rent increase notices, which must state the new rent clearly.
- Rent reminders and ledgers, which should match the agreement's payment frequency.
- Joint tenancies, where the PCM figure is the full rent, not each tenant's share.
How RentDocs.co.uk helps
- Weekly or monthly rent schedules with automatic reminders.
- Joint tenancy splits shown per tenant.
- A deposit cap calculator built on weekly rent.
Rent tracking that gets the numbers right
RentDocs.co.uk costs £5 a month per property, with a free account to try it on one tenancy.
Frequently asked questions
- What does PCM stand for?
- Per calendar month. A rent of £1,200 PCM is paid once a month, every month.
- What is the difference between PCM and PW?
- PW means per week. To convert PW to PCM multiply by 52 and divide by 12; to convert PCM to PW multiply by 12 and divide by 52.
- Why isn't monthly rent just four times weekly rent?
- Most months are longer than four weeks. Using ×4 loses about four weeks of rent across a year.
- Does PCM affect the deposit cap?
- Yes. In England the cap is five weeks' rent where annual rent is under £50,000, so convert PCM to weekly rent first: PCM × 12 ÷ 52.
This guide is general information and not financial advice.