Defining 'fair wear and tear'
‘Fair wear and tear’ basically means the normal deterioration of a property from ordinary, everyday use. Such factors as exposure to the elements, time and just day-to-day living can cause fair wear and tear.
Fair wear and tear
- Faded curtains or frayed cords
- Furniture indentations and traffic marks on the carpet
- Scuffed wooden floors
- Faded, chipped or cracked paint
- Worn kitchen benchtop
- Loose hinges or window or door handles; worn sliding tracks
- Cracks in the walls from movement
- Water stains on carpet resulting from leaky roof or bad plumbing
- Worn paint near light switches
Damage
- Curtains that are missing or torn by the tenant’s cat
- Stains or burn marks on the carpet
- Badly scratched or gouged wooden floors
- Unapproved or poor-quality paint job
- Burns or cuts in benchtop
- Broken panes from one of the tenant’s children hitting a ball through the window
- Holes in walls from tenant hammering in nails or from removing picture hooks or shelves
- Water stain on carpet resulting from an overflowing bath or indoor pot plants
- Paint damage resulting from removing decorations stuck with Blu-Tack or sticky tape
- Mould and mildew has formed because the dwelling was not aired properly
- You forgot your key and broke a lock to get in
