Normal Wear and Tear 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.

Our goal is to return the property to as close to original condition as possible to help protect your investment and maintain the condition of your property throughout the years. Taking this action not only benefits you as an owner, but it is also an important part of future advertising and finding new tenant(s) for the property. It makes the property more appealing for potential tenants and therefore, easier to rent.

For the majority of move out evaluations we perform, some of the walls in the property will need to be repainted. In most cases, touch-up painting will not be performed because there will be a noticeable difference between the original paint and touch-up paint.

If there is less than a 5 day turnaround between outgoing and incoming tenants, there is not adequate time to get a quote for the required turnover work. To ensure the property is in rent ready condition, we will provide approval to maintenance to make the necessary repairs.  If an owner prefers to use their own contractor, please contact us at least 10 days prior to the lease end date. In this case, the security deposit will be sent to the owner of the property so they can make the deductions and return the deposit to the tenant. If our company performs the turnover repairs, we will process the deposit return and deductions. Any damage above normal wear and tear as it is outlined below will be documented and the cost for the repair will be deducted from the tenant(s) security deposit. 

Average Cost of Common Turnover Items That Cannot Be Billed To Tenants: 
Re-caulking: $145 per bathroom
Bathtub Snaking: $165 - $215 (price varies depending on length of snaked used)
Full Repainting Average Cost (price varies based on square footage): Studio/1 Bedroom - $800 - $1,300, 2 Bedroom (or large 1 Bedroom) - $1,300 - $2,200, 3 bedroom - $2,200 - (*price varies based on square footage).

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. Faded, cracked or chipped paint
c. Plaster cracks from settling
d. Loose wallpaper
e. Carpeting/curtains slightly worn or faded
f. Minor scuffing on floor surface
g. Bathtub Snaking
h. Bathtub Re-grouting/Re-caulking
h. 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)

Examples of Damage: ** If damage is present, Tenants can only be billed for the portion of the damage. For Example, if there is floor damage, they can be billed for the portion of the floor that is damage. They cannot be legally billed for a non damaged surface.

a. Moderate staining in carpet
b. Holes in wall larger than nail size.
c. Holes in walls from doorknob or carelessness
d. Ripped, torn, or marked wallpaper
e. Torn, stained or burned carpeting/curtains
f. Stains and odors in rug caused by spills and leaks
g. Large Gouges or Scratches on wood floor