Here’s the difference between wear and tear and tenant-caused damage.
What passes as normal wear and tear in a property, and what constitutes damage? As you can imagine, that is one of the most common topics we discuss with tenants. This is crucial because if a tenant does damage, they’re responsible for the harm done. However, they’re not responsible for natural wear and tear, since anyone could have contributed to that.
Here’s a helpful chart to show what is normal wear and tear and what is tenant-caused damage:
Type of Material | Average Useful Life | Normal Wear and Tear (Landlord’s responsibility) | Tenant Damage (Tenant’s responsibility) |
|---|---|---|---|
Carpet | 5 years | Gently worn carpets that show worn patches but no holes or stains | Pet-caused damage such as heavily stained carpets or rips |
Hardwood flooring | 25 years | Fading of flooring due to sunlight exposure | Deep scratches or pieces of floor missing |
Tile flooring | 25 years | Dirty grout surrounding tiles | Broken, chipped, or missing tiles |
Windows | 20 years | Lightly scratched glass or worn/loose hardware | Broken glass, ripped screens, broken hardware |
Countertops | 20+ years | Scratches and light watermarks | Chips, burned areas, or multiple stains |
Walls | Lifetime | Cracks caused by settling | Holes, damage from hanging pictures/art |
Paint | 3 years | Fading due to sunlight and minor scuffing | Scribbles and unauthorized paint colors |
If you have more questions about this or any other topic regarding property management, please give me a call or send an email. I would love to help you.