Last updated: 9 October 2026. Fees and terms checked on Payr’s website on the same date.
Payr is a London fintech that lets tenants pay rent with a credit or debit card, even when the landlord or letting agent only accepts bank transfers. You pay Payr by card, and Payr sends the rent to your landlord as an ordinary bank payment.
The appeal is simple. Rent is most people’s biggest monthly bill, and paying it by card can earn points, air miles or cashback. The catch is a 1.99% fee on every payment. Whether that fee pays for itself depends entirely on your card.
Table of Contents
Payr at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Company | Payr LTD, registered in England, company number 14941240 |
| What it does | Turns a card payment into a bank transfer to your landlord or agent |
| Fee | 1.99% per payment, the same for every card type |
| Cards accepted | Visa, Mastercard and American Express |
| Landlord needs to sign up? | No |
| FCA authorised? | Payr itself is not; payments run through FCA-regulated partners (see below) |
| Trustpilot | 4.6/5 from 66 reviews (October 2026) |
How Payr works
- Create an account and upload your tenancy agreement.
- Pass an identity check. Payr runs a standard know-your-customer check before you can pay.
- Add your card and enter your landlord’s or agent’s bank details and payment reference.
- Pay. Payr says the payment is processed straight away and your landlord receives a normal bank transfer carrying your reference.
You don’t need to tell your landlord. As long as the reference matches, the payment looks like any other rent transfer on their side. Payr also says you can use it for tenancy deposits.
Who actually handles your money
This is the part most people skip. Payr’s terms state plainly that Payr is not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority and cannot provide payment services itself.
Instead, it uses two regulated partners:
- Ryft (Butlr Ltd), which Payr’s terms describe as an FCA Authorised Payment Institution, number 972895
- Moorwand Ltd, which the terms describe as an FCA-authorised electronic money institution
This is a common set-up for young fintechs, and it doesn’t make Payr unsafe. It does mean that your contract is with an unregulated company, while the regulated firms only move the money. You can check both partners yourself on the FCA Register.
The fee: does paying rent by card actually pay?
Payr charges 1.99% on every payment. Payr says this covers processing and running costs, that it isn’t a card surcharge, and that it doesn’t change with card type. You see the full amount before you pay.
| Monthly rent | Payr fee per month | Payr fee per year |
|---|---|---|
| £1,000 | £19.90 | £238.80 |
| £1,500 | £29.85 | £358.20 |
| £2,000 | £39.80 | £477.60 |
To break even, your card has to give you more than 1.99% back in value. Most UK cashback cards return well under that, so for a typical cashback card Payr is a net cost.
It can make sense in three situations:
- Points you value highly. If you redeem airline or hotel points for premium flights, the value per point can exceed the fee. That depends on your own redemptions, not on headline earn rates.
- A sign-up bonus. Rent can help you hit a new card’s minimum spend target for a welcome bonus.
- Business tenants. Payr points out that a business may be able to claim the fee as an expense. Check this with your accountant.
Our guide to the 8 need-to-knows about rewards credit cards covers how earn rates and redemption values work.
Before you start, check your card’s terms. Some issuers exclude payment-service transactions from rewards. Payr says payments are processed as purchases, not cash advances, but the way a transaction is coded is ultimately your card issuer’s decision.
The clause to read first: chargebacks
Card payments normally come with chargeback rights. If something goes wrong, you can ask your card issuer to reverse the payment.
Payr’s terms say that if you request a chargeback after Payr has already paid your landlord or agent, that is a breach of the terms. You would immediately owe Payr the money, and it could end your account.
In practice, using a card through Payr doesn’t give you a way to recover rent you paid to the wrong account or in a dispute with your landlord. Double-check the bank details before every first payment.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Works with any landlord or agent who accepts bank transfers
- Accepts American Express, which most rent channels don’t
- A flat, disclosed fee shown before you pay
- Can help you reach a card’s welcome-bonus spend
Cons
- A 1.99% fee outweighs most cashback cards
- Payr itself is not FCA authorised; it relies on regulated partners
- Chargeback after payout counts as a breach of the terms
- Identity checks can delay your first payment
What Real Users Say About Payr
Based on Trustpilot reviews. View all reviews on Trustpilot
Trustpilot score: 4.6/5 from 66 reviews (October 2026)
What users praise
Ease of use. Reviewers describe setup and monthly payments as simple and reliable.
Rewards. Many say they use Payr specifically to earn points or Avios on rent.
Support. Several mention quick, helpful replies.
Where users hit problems
Verification delays. One reviewer said identity checks held up a rent payment.
Fee clarity. One reviewer felt the 1.99% fee wasn’t clear up front. Payr replied that it is shown in the FAQ and on the payment page.
Account deletion. One reviewer reported a slow response to a deletion request. Payr said it was completed within 14 days and that it has since added self-service deletion.
The overall picture
The sample is small. Trustpilot notes that Payr hasn’t recently invited customers to review, so the reviews may not be representative. Payr replies to all of its negative reviews.
Reviews sourced from Trustpilot. Last checked: October 2026.
Verdict
Payr does what it promises: it gets rent onto a credit card without involving your landlord. For most tenants with an ordinary cashback card, the 1.99% fee costs more than the card returns.
It makes sense for a narrower group: people chasing a welcome bonus, those who reliably get high value from travel points, and businesses that can expense the fee. If you use it, read the chargeback clause first and clear your card balance in full each month. Card interest would wipe out any reward many times over. For more ways to cut what you pay to move money, see avoiding UK bank fees, and if you’re juggling balances, our tips on 0% credit cards.
FAQ
Is Payr legit?
Payr LTD is a registered UK company (number 14941240). It is not itself FCA authorised, but its terms say payments are handled by FCA-regulated partners Ryft (Butlr Ltd) and Moorwand Ltd.
How much does Payr charge?
1.99% of each payment, whatever card you use. On £1,500 rent that is £29.85 a month.
Does my landlord need to accept cards?
No. Your landlord receives a normal bank transfer and doesn’t need to sign up.
Can I use American Express with Payr?
Yes. Payr accepts Amex, Visa and Mastercard.
Will paying rent by credit card hurt my credit score?
Not if you clear the card on time. Carrying a high balance can raise your credit utilisation, and missed payments will damage your score.
Sources: Payr FAQ; Payr terms and conditions; Trustpilot.
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