What is Wear and Tear?

Wear and tear is the deterioration of a property that's expected to happen with the passage of time.

Normal wear and tear doesn't occur because of any purposeful damage to the property, and renters are not held responsible for the repair costs. Wear and tear doesn't include damages that would affect the value of the property.

Common examples of normal wear and tear

It's normal and expected for minor signs of deterioration to occur over the course of time a property is occupied and lived in. Some examples of normal wear and tear are cracks in tile grout, dirty grout, scuffs or minor scratches on the floor, minor carpet stains, scuffs on painted walls, or discoloration of paint or flooring due to light exposure.

What isn't considered wear and tear

Damage that's more severe or could lower the value of a property is never considered normal wear and tear. This damage will be more costly to repair and will put renters at risk of losing their security deposit if left to be repaired by the landlord.

This damage might look like severely stained or damaged carpets, broken sink or bathroom fixtures, cracked or shattered windows and mirrors, or holes in the walls or doors.

Normal wear and tear

• Dirty or cracked tile grout
• Scuffs on the floor or walls
• Minor carpet stains

Damage beyond normal wear and tear

• Severely stained carpets
• Broken fixtures
• Holes in the wall

What does it look like?

Normal wear and tear looks like imperfections in a property that arise naturally and not from any incident of damage. These include chipped or scuffed paint, minor stains or faded carpet.

Additional resources

• How To Fix Common Damage Issues Before Moving Out
• How To Clean Up Storm Damage At Your Apartment
• What is a Security Deposit?
• What Can My Landlord Deduct From My Security Deposit?
• Security Deposits: What to Expect

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