“What exactly is considered Normal Wear & Tear?”
Owners — and residents too, for that matter — ask this question all the time.
Residents would usually prefer that absolutely nothing be charged against their security deposit.
Owners would often prefer that every penny spent preparing the property to re-lease be paid from the ex-resident’s deposit.
The correct answer is usually somewhere in between.
Okay, don’t hit me…
It just depends.
⏳ Length of Residency Matters
How long did they live there?
Did they take good care of the home?
Those things matter.
If a resident has lived in a property for several years and has taken good care of it, chances are that very little expense may properly be charged to them.
On the other hand, if they moved in on a one-year lease, broke the lease after three months, damaged things, and left the house needing major repairs and full paint, chances are pretty good that many of those expenses will properly fall to the resident.
Every situation is different.
🔑 Some Expenses Belong to the Owner
For example:
When a lease is properly fulfilled, the owner or management is normally responsible for:
- rekeying locks,
- reprogramming garage door openers,
- and resetting keypads.
That is part of doing business.
However, if the resident breaks the lease early, some of those same expenses may properly become the resident’s responsibility.
Likewise:
- smoke detector batteries between leases are always going to be the landlord’s responsibility,
- but missing or tampered-with detectors are a different story entirely.
Do you see what I mean?
📋 Why Move-In Documentation Matters So Much
From the day residents move in, we try to educate them about expectations and responsibilities.
Setting expectations clearly helps everyone.
At move-in, residents receive a detailed Move-In Inventory Checklist.
Ours is simple and easy to complete.
Residents are required to return the checklist within 48 hours after moving in. If we do not receive it promptly, the property is assumed to have been received in acceptable condition.
We go one step further because this process is SO important.
Two days after move-in, Amy will even pick up the checklist if the resident leaves it somewhere accessible:
- inside the glass front door,
- under the doormat,
- or another agreed-upon location.
That checklist becomes incredibly important later if questions arise about damages or repairs.
📸 Why We Photograph Properties
We also take detailed photos immediately before move-in and again immediately after move-out.
This helps everyone:
- owners,
- residents,
- maintenance personnel,
- and our company.
Pictures help remove confusion and help us determine:
- what existed beforehand,
- what changed,
- and what may or may not properly qualify as damage.
We tell residents not to document every tiny scuff or minor imperfection because, unless the house was Just Built, it is a used house.
That does NOT give anyone a “get out of jail free” card though.
For example:
we understand there may already be small scuffs on baseboards from Mrs Ex-Resident vacuuming over time. (Vacuuming is a good thing. We encourage it!)
But we also know the woodwork was intact before move-in.
🛠️ What Happens at Move-Out?
When residents give proper written notice and move out, we immediately perform another detailed inspection with photographs.
If something is:
- damaged,
- missing,
- non-functional,
- excessively dirty,
- or abused
we document it carefully.
Then we compare:
- the move-in inventory,
- move-in photographs,
- move-out photographs,
- invoices,
- and vendor reports.
That process helps us determine:
- what falls under normal wear and tear,
- and what properly qualifies as resident damage.
We also expect our maintenance personnel to use the good heads God gave them to identify, notify us and repair if they notice additional issues during make-ready that we may not have initially caught.
🌱 Yard & Exterior Expectations
Yards matter too.
If the lawn:
- has been watered,
- recently mowed,
- edged properly,
- and weeds are reasonably controlled—
there may be little or no charge at all.
However…
If we need a bailing machine to mow the yard, or we have to send someone to hand-pull giant weeds from a rock yard because they are too large to spray, chances are pretty good those charges will appear on the final accounting statement.
🔨 Damage vs. Normal Wear & Tear
✅ Usually Considered Normal Wear & Tear
- minor scuffs
- small nail holes
- faded paint from sunlight
- frayed carpet edges from ordinary use
- ordinary aging over time
❌ Usually Considered Resident Damage
- holes punched in walls
- broken windows
- crayon or marker on walls or ceilings
- cabinet doors torn from hinges
- pet damage
- unauthorized paint colors
- excessive filth or neglect
For example:
A baby’s room painted bright pink without written approval will generally need to be repainted at the resident’s expense because the lease specifically prohibits changing paint colors without permission.
⚖️ “Normal Wear & Tear” Is Ultimately:
“Whatever the Judge Says It Is.”
Write that down.
At the end of the day, if a dispute ends up in court, the judge decides what is reasonable and what is not.
That is why documentation matters so much.
If you are charging a resident for damages, you should be prepared to:
- show photographs,
- provide invoices,
- explain repairs,
- document before-and-after conditions,
- and clearly demonstrate why the charge was appropriate.
You always want to be able to look the judge in the eye and know you handled things fairly and honestly.
✨ Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, fairness matters.
Residents should not be charged for legitimate normal wear and tear.
Owners should not be expected to absorb costs created by abuse, neglect, damage, or lease violations.
Good documentation, good communication, and honest handling of security deposits protect everyone involved.
You always want to be on the side of the angels.
Blessings, and please call us if we can help you.