The phrase “fair wear and tear” is endlessly debated and rarely defined. A working definition, used consistently, takes most of the heat out of those debates.
The simple test
Damage is what a reasonable person would not expect from normal use of the property over the length of the tenancy. Wear and tear is what they would.
Two factors that change everything
How long the tenancy ran for, and how many people lived in the property. A two-year family let leaves a different mark than a six-month single occupancy. Adjudicators expect that, and so should you.
Examples that help
- Lightly scuffed paint along a hallway after two years — wear.
- A fist-sized hole in a bedroom door — damage.
- Carpet flattened in main walkways — wear.
- A burn or large stain on a carpet — damage.
Apply the test consistently, document the difference clearly, and the conversations at check-out stay grounded in something both sides can recognise.
