Tenant Damage versus Normal Wear and Tear can be confusing for many. Normal wear and tear is essentially the deterioration of an item that occurs under normal conditions. Tenant damage usually requires more extensive repair, and at a greater cost than “normal wear and tear”, and are often the result of a tenant’s abuse or negligence that is above and beyond normal wear and tear.
Normal costs of turning over a rental property after a tenant vacate MAY NOT be charged to the TENANT. The costs an OWNER incurs for the basic cleaning and repairing of such items necessary to make a unit “rent ready” for the next TENANT are part of the cost of doing business. The following is a list of items typically attributable to routine use or “normal wear and tear”.
Examples of Tenant Damage versus Normal Wear and Tear:
NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR | DAMAGES |
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Tenant Damage versus Normal Wear and Tear:
After determining if an item requires replacement due to a Tenant’s abuse or neglect (not normal wear and tear), to calculate Tenant’s responsibility, a Landlord must know: (a) actual cost to replace the item, (b) how long an item would be expected to be useful before it wears out (its “useful life”), (c) current age of the item, and (d) its remaining useful life. Landlord may only charge Tenant for the remaining useful life of an item.
Sample Life Expectancy Chart per the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development*
Hot Water Heaters | 10 years | All Units |
Plush Carpeting | 5 years | Family |
7 years | Elderly | |
Air Conditioning Units | 10 years | All Units |
Ranges | 20 years | All Units |
Refrigerators | 10 years | All Units |
Interior Painting-Enamel | 5 Years | Family |
7 Years | Elderly | |
Interior Painting-Flat | 3 Years | Family |
5 Years | Elderly | |
Tiles/Linoleum | 5 Years | Family |
7 Years | Elderly | |
Window/Shades/Screens/Blinds | 3 Years | All Units |
*If these items were in good condition at the time of move in, at it can be shown that damage, above normal wear and tear has been sustained, then a charge against the Tenant’s security deposit can be applied. Sample Life expectancy chart from United States Housing and Urban Development.
Example:
Cost of new dishwasher: $400
Useful life of dishwasher: 10 years
Age of dishwasher at the end of tenancy: 4 years
Remaining useful life: 6 years (10 years less 4 years)
Tenant Responsibility: $400 x .60 = $240
The most advanced online Resident Center
Residents can submit maintenance requests and upload photos directly from their phone or tablet on our resident app. Residents can see when an item’s been assigned to a staff member or vendor, and view status updates until the item is completed
