Your deposit

What counts as normal wear and tear?

Normal wear and tear isn’t charged to your deposit. Damage is. Here’s how we tell the difference.

Normal wear and tear

  • Faded paint. Paint has a useful life of roughly 2 to 3 years, depending on who you ask. With better paint, wiping down the walls works well.
  • Carpet that was old and worn when you moved in, furniture marks in carpet, or the natural wearing of carpet or drapes from normal use and age.
  • Worn door hinges or locks, or a ding in the wall from a missing door stop.
  • Broken plumbing pipes you didn’t damage, or main drain problems not caused by flushing or disposing of the wrong items. Older homes with old sewer lines can get roots growing into them and clogging the system.
  • Dusty blinds.
  • General dust in the home.
  • Faded curtains that were in the home when you moved in.
  • A burned-out bulb in the refrigerator.

Damage

  • Holes in walls from hanging pictures, marks from removed wall decals, and larger gouges.
  • Tears in carpet, pet stains (even if the landlord knew you had a pet), burn marks from irons, cigars or cigarettes, and ground-in stains.
  • Doors with holes, broken doors or windows, and broken glass.
  • Clogged drains caused by misuse of sinks or toilets. Feminine products belong in the trash, not the toilet.
  • Broken or missing blinds or curtains. If they were there when you moved in, they must be there when you leave.
  • Flea infestations caused by a resident’s animals.
  • Smoke damage from smoking or burning candles.
  • Excessive bathroom mildew.
  • Broken refrigerator shelves, or heavy dirt and dust in the refrigerator vents under or behind the unit.
  • Excessive dirt or grime in the oven or refrigerator.

Tips to protect your deposit

  • Clean behind and under the sofa and other furniture, not just the open floor.
  • Use a bathroom cleaner weekly to keep mildew from building up.
  • Vacuum around and under the refrigerator when you vacuum. It also helps it run better.
  • Defrost the refrigerator if it isn’t frost-free, and leave time for the stove. A thorough oven cleaning can take 2 to 3 hours.
  • If you want blinds or curtains that came with the home taken down, discuss it with us first and get the answer in writing. Curtains you put up yourself should come down when you leave, or you may be charged.

Getting ready to move? Use our move-out cleaning checklist.

Questions?

Questions about your deposit?

Send us a message and our team will get back to you.

Prefer to talk? Call our Novi office at 248-284-6990.