Normal wear and tear vs damage
A room by room landlord guide for Canada and the US, with how to document it at move out and price fair, itemized charges.
The short answer
Normal wear and tear is the decline a unit goes through from ordinary living over time, even when the tenant takes reasonable care. Damage is harm beyond ordinary use, caused by an accident, neglect, misuse or a pet. In general, a landlord can deduct the reasonable cost of damage from a damage or security deposit, but not the cost of wear and tear.
Alberta, for example, describes normal wear and tear as deterioration that occurs over time with use even with reasonable care and maintenance. Rules vary by province and state, so check your local residential tenancy rules before you deduct anything.
Four questions to sort any item
When you are standing in front of a scuff, a stain or a broken part at move out, run through these four questions before you write anything down.
- 01What did it look like at move in? If the move in report shows the same mark, it is not a new charge. This is why a signed move in report matters so much.
- 02How old is it? Paint, carpet, blinds and appliances wear out on their own. An item near the end of its normal life is worth less, so a full replacement charge may not hold up.
- 03How long was the tenancy? More years of normal living means more normal wear. Light carpet wear after a long tenancy is expected. A burn after a short one is not.
- 04Was there an event? Wear builds up slowly from use. Damage usually comes from an event, such as a spill left to soak, a dropped pan, a pet accident or a door kicked open.
Room by room examples
Typical calls for a standard rental. Your local tribunal or board decides the final line, and your lease terms matter too.
| Area | Usually normal wear and tear | Usually damage |
|---|---|---|
| Walls and paint | Light scuffs, faded paint, a few small nail holes from pictures | Large holes or gouges, marker or crayon, paint colours changed without permission |
| Carpet and floors | Light traffic wear in walkways, slight fading from sun | Pet stains or odour, burns, tears, deep gouges, water damage from spills left to sit |
| Kitchen | Worn finish on counters, normal aging of appliance surfaces | Burns or knife cuts in counters, broken shelves or drawers, an oven left heavily soiled |
| Bathroom | Light grout discoloration, worn caulking after years of use | Cracked sink, tub or toilet, broken towel bars, heavy buildup left uncleaned |
| Windows and blinds | Sun faded blinds, tracks that stick a little | Broken slats, cracked panes, torn or missing screens |
| Doors and hardware | Handles loosened by regular use, worn finish on high touch spots | Holes in doors, broken frames or hinges, missing keys, fobs or remotes |
| Cleaning | Light dust after a tenant cleans and moves out | Garbage or belongings left behind, heavy grease, a unit not cleaned when the lease requires it |
General guidance only, not legal advice.
How to document it at move out
A fair call on wear versus damage only helps you if you can prove it. This is the routine that holds up best when a tenant pushes back.
- 01Start from the move in report and walk the same checklist in the same order, room by room. Our rental inspection checklist covers every room.
- 02Take timestamped photos from the same angles as move in. Shoot a wide photo of the room, then a close up of each item you flag.
- 03Describe condition, not just pass or fail. Note the size and location, for example two holes about the size of a coin, left of the bedroom window.
- 04Mark each flagged item as wear and tear or damage on the report itself, so the tenant can see you only charged for damage.
- 05Price each damage item on site, on its own line, with a repair or replace note. A lump sum is the fastest way to start a dispute.
- 06Record the age of items when you know it, such as the year the carpet went in or the last full paint.
- 07Send the report and the itemized deposit statement to the tenant promptly, before the deadline in your province or state.
Pricing a damage charge fairly
Once an item is clearly damage, the next question is how much. Two habits keep charges fair and easier to defend.
- Repair before replace. If a patch, a clean or a part fixes it, charge for that rather than a full replacement.
- Account for age. Tribunals and courts often look at how much useful life an item had left. Charging the full cost of new carpet for old carpet usually looks like asking the tenant to pay for an upgrade.
| Item | How it was priced | Charge |
|---|---|---|
| Living room wall, patch and paint two holes | Repair, local labour rate | $120 |
| Bedroom carpet, burn mark, about halfway through its expected life | Replace, prorated for age, so about half the replacement cost | $400 |
| Kitchen, oven left heavily soiled | Cleaning, flat rate | $60 |
| Hallway, light scuffs | Normal wear and tear, no charge | $0 |
| Total deducted from deposit | $580 |
Example only, with made up numbers. Use your own local rates and the rules for your province or state.
For more on settling the total with the tenant, see How to settle security deposit disputes.
Canada and US notes
Deposit rules are set locally, so the same scuff can be handled differently in two places. A few examples from official government sources:
- Alberta. Move in and move out inspection reports are mandatory, and a landlord cannot deduct damage or cleaning costs from the security deposit if the inspection report requirements were not met. Source: alberta.ca, Ending a tenancy.
- Ontario. Charging a damage deposit is an offence, and a rent deposit can only be used for the last month of rent. Disagreements between landlords and tenants go to the Landlord and Tenant Board. Source: ontario.ca, Rental housing offences.
- Other provinces. Each province has its own residential tenancy act and board, so check your provincial rules for inspection reports and deposit returns.
- United States. Security deposit rules are set by each state, and sometimes by the city. Many states expect an itemized list of deductions sent within a set time after move out. Check your state and local rules for the exact requirements.
Rules vary by province and state. This is general information, not legal advice. Check your local residential tenancy rules.
The best tool for wear versus damage calls
Our top pick for this workflow is Easy Inspections. Its headline advantage is customizable, itemized move out repair charges priced on site. You flag each damage item during the walkthrough, set its repair or cleaning price right there, and the finished photo report settles the damage deposit return or the charge back to the tenant at move out, with no spreadsheet afterward. Items you treat as normal wear simply carry no charge, so the tenant sees exactly what was billed and why.
- Timestamped photos tied to each item, room by room.
- Move in and move out reports built from the same checklist, so you can compare line by line.
- Free for 0 to 2 units. Starter is $9.99/mo for 3 to 10 units and Portfolio is $29.99/mo for 11 to 50 units, with fixed plan prices and no per unit surcharge.
- Works for landlords and managers in Canada and the US.
Comparing apps? See Best move out inspection app, HappyCo alternatives for small landlords and every tool in the Inspections category.
Verdict
Wear and tear is the slow decline of ordinary living. Damage comes from an event, neglect or misuse. Compare against a signed move in report, account for the age of each item, and charge only for damage, item by item. Easy Inspections is our top pick because its customizable, itemized move out repair charges are priced on site, so the report settles the deposit return or the tenant charge back at move out.
Questions
Are small nail holes normal wear and tear?
A few small nail holes from hanging pictures are usually treated as normal wear and tear. Many large holes, anchors torn out of the wall or holes that need drywall repair are more likely to count as damage. Check your local rules.
Can I charge a tenant for repainting?
Fading and light scuffs from normal living are usually wear and tear. Repainting is more likely to be chargeable when walls are marked, damaged or painted a colour without permission. The age of the last paint job matters, so a prorated charge is often fairer than the full cost.
Can I charge full replacement cost for old carpet?
Usually not. Tribunals and courts often look at how much useful life the carpet had left, so a charge prorated for age is easier to defend than the full cost of new carpet.
What proof do I need for a damage charge?
A signed move in report, timestamped move out photos of the same item from the same angle, and an itemized charge with its own price. Some places, such as Alberta, require completed inspection reports before you can deduct damage from a deposit.
Which app helps separate wear from damage at move out?
Our top pick is Easy Inspections. It lets you build customizable, itemized repair charges and price them on site during the move out walkthrough, so the report settles the deposit return or tenant charge back right away. It is free for 0 to 2 units.