What Is Normal Wear and Tear?

If you’ve ever looked at a lease document for a new apartment or done a walk-through of your rental unit with your landlord, you’ve probably heard of the phrase “normal wear and tear.” But what does it mean and, more importantly, what does it mean for you?

Here, we cover everything you need to know about what wear and tear is and how it could affect your security deposit.

What is normal wear and tear?

First, let’s start with the basics — what exactly is wear and tear? The phrase “wear and tear” refers to the normal deterioration or decline in the condition of a rental property that you would expect to see simply because someone is living there. This includes changes to the condition of the property that are a normal consequence of everyday living but not damage due to accidents or negligence.

Examples of normal wear and tear in a rental property include:

• Gentle wear in carpets or flooring from people walking around on it
• Small holes in the wall from hanging picture frames or scuffs on the paint
• Curtains or carpets fading due to exposure to the sun
• Loose door handles
• The finish on handles or bathroom fixtures starting to wear away
• Warped cabinet doors in the kitchen or bathroom
• Some dirt or dust that can be cleaned with regular vacuuming or dusting

What is considered damage?

Normal wear and tear in an apartment is different than damage. Damage to a rental unit results from accidents, neglect, or on purpose. This is not just the kind of deterioration associated with everyday living, but it’s the level of damage that could decrease an apartment’s value or the next renter’s enjoyment of the property.

Examples of damage include:

• Large holes or stains in carpets
• A broken mirror or appliance
• Removal of fixtures
• Chipped or broken tile or porcelain
• Drawings on the walls
• Mildew or mold left behind in kitchens or bathrooms
• Unapproved paint colors on the walls or poor paint jobs

Other Factors to Keep in Mind

When distinguishing between what constitutes normal wear and tear in an apartment versus damage, there are a few other factors to keep in mind:

• The length of the lease: The longer a renter has occupied a place, the more damage you might expect to occur naturally due to everyday living conditions. A renter who has been in a place for 20 years, for example, is naturally going to sustain more wear and tear than someone who has lived in a rental unit for six months. If the carpet was in good condition when the renter moved in, it would be reasonable for a landlord to expect to replace that carpet after the 20-year tenant moves out, but not after the month-to-month tenant.
• The character and age of the building: Older buildings are prone to deterioration in their conditions more quickly, especially where they haven’t been recently updated. For example, it would be more normal for a bathroom floor tile to break in an older building due to wear and tear than it would be in a brand new or just-redone building.
• The extent of the damage: The same type of damage could be considered normal wear and tear or damage depending on how much of it there is. For example, a small stain on a carpet is usually considered wear and tear, but a massive stain, due to pet urine or a spilled beverage, would likely be considered damage.

Why does the definition of wear and tear matter?

If you’re a renter, understanding the difference between normal wear and tear on rental property and damage will be an important component of getting most or all of your security deposit back when you move out. That’s because a landlord retains your security deposit as a kind of insurance against damage (or unpaid rent or utility bills). 

Your landlord is responsible for normal repairs and maintenance, including dealing with normal wear and tear, but they can take money out of your security deposit to pay for the repairs resulting from damage. So in order to get your security deposit back after you move out, you’ll want to make sure you don’t leave damage in the unit and that any deterioration in the condition of the apartment while living there is due to normal wear and tear.

Getting Your Security Deposit Back

In addition to avoiding damage, there are a few steps you can take to help ensure that you get most or all of your security deposit back.

When you move into a new place, see if your landlord is willing to do a walk-through with you. Together, you can take note of any existing damage using a checklist and by taking photos of any damage with your phone. Do another walk-through right before move-out to confirm that you haven’t left any more damage behind. Ideally, you and your landlord will both sign a checklist or document outlining the existing damage so that everything is in writing and you can be sure you have an agreement on where any potential damage already exists before you move in. This will put your mind at ease when you’re waiting for your security deposit refund letter since you’ll know what you can expect to get back.

Documenting existing damage will mean that you have evidence that you’re not responsible if your landlord wants to deduct from your security deposit when you move out. If you and your landlord agree on what constitutes normal wear and tear before you move out, you won’t have to worry about being charged for it.

Understanding what constitutes normal wear and tear versus damage to your rental unit and having a shared understanding with your landlord early on will help you to get most or all of your security deposit back when you move out. Looking for a new place? Search thousands of apartments for rent on Zumper and make your move.