One of the most common disputes at the end of a tenancy is not about serious damage — that is usually obvious. It is about the small things. A mark on the wall. Yellowing grout in the bathroom. A door that no longer closes as smoothly as it did on day one.
Is that wear or is that damage? And who pays for it?
What counts as normal wear?
Normal wear and tear is the deterioration of a property that you can reasonably expect from everyday use over a period of time. Think of:
- Paint fading in spots that get a lot of light
- Light scratches in laminate or parquet from daily use
- Yellowed grout or silicone edges in a bathroom
- Small nail holes in the wall from hanging pictures
- Carpets or rugs that look less fresh after a year or two
These are costs that fall to the landlord. It is simply part of renting out a property.
What counts as damage?
Damage is deterioration that you would not expect from normal use. That might include:
- Large holes in the wall
- Burn or scorch marks on the floor or kitchen worktop
- Broken doors, hinges or locks from careless use
- Serious stains or paint that has been deliberately damaged
This goes beyond what a tenant can reasonably be expected to cause through everyday living.
Why is this so tricky?
The difficulty is that the boundary is not always clear-cut. A scratch might be normal — or not, depending on how deep it is, where it is and how long the tenant lived there. A bathroom can reasonably look different after five years than after one. The age of the property, the type of materials and the length of the tenancy all play a role.
That makes it a sensitive conversation if you have no documentation to refer to.
How does an inspection report help?
With a solid initial report, you at least have the starting condition documented. That gives you something to work from:
- What was already there at the start?
- What is new — and is that wear or damage?
If you use the same structure in the final report as you did in the initial one, you have a direct comparison. Room by room, space by space. What looks different, and is that a reasonable result of the time the tenant lived there?
An honest conversation instead of an argument
The great thing about documentation is that it makes the conversation more factual. You are not debating memories — you are comparing records. That makes things easier for both sides: the landlord knows what has changed, and the tenant can see the basis for any deductions.
No accusations. Just a comparison based on what was recorded at the start.
Want to substantiate a deduction properly? Read how to document the deposit and damage beyond dispute, or start with a thorough move-out inspection report.