Leases and deposits
What counts as normal wear and tear versus damage?
Updated By the Housing Rocket moderators
Short answer
Normal wear and tear is the gradual decline that comes from ordinary living, like faded paint, light scuffs and carpet worn in walkways, and landlords generally can't deduct it from your deposit. Damage goes beyond ordinary use, like holes in walls, burns, pet stains or broken fixtures, and can be charged to you.
The line isn't always sharp, and states word it differently, but this is how it usually plays out:
- Usually wear and tear: slightly scuffed or faded paint, a few small nail holes, carpet worn thin where people walk, loose door handles, light scratches on floors, grout darkened with age
- Usually damage: large holes or lots of anchors in walls, unapproved paint colors, carpet burns or pet urine stains, broken blinds or windows, missing fixtures, burns on counters, water damage from an overflowing tub
How long you lived there matters. Paint and carpet have a limited useful life, so after several years a landlord often can't charge you the full cost of replacing them, even if they needed replacing. In many states a landlord can charge only for the remaining value, not the price of brand-new materials.
Cleaning is a gray area. Many states allow deductions to return the unit to the cleanliness it had at move-in, but not for routine turnover cleaning. Dated photos from move-in and move-out settle most of these arguments. For how to take them, see move-in and move-out questions.
Want the whole picture? Read Renting Your First Apartment: Applications, Leases and Move-in Costs.