Deducting Cleaning and Repair Costs From a Security Deposit

Typically, landlords may use a tenant's security deposit for any cleaning or repairs necessary to restore the rental unit to its condition at the beginning of the tenancy. Landlords may not, however, use the deposit to cover the costs of ordinary wear and tear.

Pinning down exactly what normal wear and tear is can be difficult. When you have a long-term tenant, it's likely that more of the damage to the rental will qualify as normal wear and tear—in other words, even everyday use over a long period of time will have a detrimental effect on the unit. But just because there's damage doesn't mean that you can charge a tenant to repair it. The longer a tenant has lived in a place, the more wear and tear you can expect.

For example, if you put in new carpeting at the beginning of a tenancy, and you renew the tenant's lease every year for four years, when the tenant moves out you should expect that the "new" carpeting won't look new anymore—in fact, you might even have to replace it. But in order to hold the tenant responsible for the cost of replacing it, you'd have to show that the carpeting is in a condition that is far worse than could be expected after four years of use.

Examples of Normal Wear and Tear in a Rental

The best way to understand the idea of normal wear and tear is to look at some examples. The following chart outlines some common situations where damage is the landlord's responsibility versus situations where the damage is the tenant's responsibility.

For a comprehensive guide to landlords' (and tenants') responsibilities for cleaning and repairs, see Every Landlord's Legal Guide or Every Tenant's Legal Guide.