06/23/2025
🔨 Normal Wear & Tear vs. Property Damage 🏚️
When a tenant moves out, not everything they leave behind can be considered "normal wear and tear."
🛑 BROKEN DOORS & WINDOWS = PROPERTY DAMAGE
This also includes molding and blinds. These are not signs of regular use — they’re lease violations. Unlike minor scuffs or fading paint, damage like this:
• Compromises property security
• Costs hundreds in repairs
• Reflects misuse or neglect, not aging
đź’° Estimated Repair Costs:
• Broken door replacement: $200–$400
• Window blind replacement: $75–$150
• Repainting an entire 2br/1b unit to cover patched holes: $400–$600
đź“‹ According to the lease agreement, tenants are responsible for damages beyond normal wear. During the move-out inspection, we found damaged windows and blinds, patched holes in every room, and a broken exterior door.
❌ Because of this, the tenant’s security deposit was applied toward covering these costs. Deposits are not refunded when damage clearly exceeds the definition of “normal wear.”
âś… Landlords: Always document move-in and move-out conditions with thorough photographs. âś… Tenants: Read your lease. Wear and tear does not include punching walls, poor patch jobs, replacing blinds, or breaking doors off their framing.
