Normal Wear and Tear Not Re-Advertising

Definition or Normal Wear and Tear: Deterioration that occurs without negligence, carelessness or abuse of the premises by the tenant, a member of the household or other persons on the premises with his/her consent. The most common repairs after a tenant moves out involves re-painting walls. As a rule of thumb, if the "wear" on the wall can be covered with the application of paint, it is considered "Normal Wear and Tear" and therefore, the cost cannot be deducted from the security deposit.

Some of the other deciding factors are included below:

a. If the property was repainted prior to the tenant(s) moving in, and the tenant(s) have been living at the property for a year or greater, it is reasonable to expect that the property might need full repainting of some of the walls.
b. If the property was not repainted prior to the tenant(s) moving in, we cannot deduct re-painting costs from the security deposit, unless there is noticeable damage. Smudge marks, faded paint, scuff marks (anything that can be covered with one coat of paint) is not considered damage and the Tenant cannot be legally billed for this cost.
c. If the tenant has occupied the property for over two years, it is reasonable to expect that the property will need to be repainted after the tenant vacates. This is not a cost that can be deducted from the tenant(s) deposit.

**Because we will not be advertising the property, we will only be repairing damage that is not considered “Normal Wear and Tear”. 

**Most owners that are selling their property are required to perform specific repairs prior to listing their property or before handing it over to the new owner. These repairs are determined by the owner's real estate agent and unless the repairs are a result of tenant misuse (please refer to information below), our company is not authorized to perform these repairs.

**Tenants are required to get the property professionally cleaned and steam cleaned (if applicable) after they vacate the property. If an owner is selling the property, they might request that the tenant does not clean the property if they are planning to perform repair work after the lease end date. 

**Please note, the tenants are not required to use a specific cleaning company so the results of the service they select can vary. If the tenant hired professional cleaners, even if the cleaning does not meet our standards or the owner's standards, we cannot legally deduct from the tenant's security deposit. Some owner's will hire their own cleaning company to re-clean the property after the lease end date. 

Examples of Normal Wear and Tear: 
a. Scuff marks or nicks on wall (If marks on painted surface can be covered with one coat of paint, it is not considered Damage and the tenants cannot legally be billed for the cost).
b. Painted surfaces that are faded, cracked or chipped
c. Plaster cracks from settling
d. Loose wallpaper
e. Carpeting/curtains slightly worn or faded
f.  Minor scuffing on wood floor
g. Bathtub Snaking 
h. Bathtub re-caulking/grout cleaning
i . Minor carpet staining and wear (Most carpet wear can be removed with steam cleaning. **If the carpet was not new when the tenants moved in, the cost for replacement carpet cannot legally be deducted from the tenant's deposit)