What “fair wear and tear” means
Fair wear and tear is the deterioration that happens through reasonable, everyday use of a property and the natural effect of time. Tenants aren’t liable for it. They are liable for damage, and for returning the property in a worse state of cleanliness than they received it.
There’s no statutory list that settles every case. Deposit scheme adjudicators look at the evidence and ask whether the change in condition is beyond what you’d reasonably expect, given:
- The length of the tenancy. Two years of family life wears a property more than six months.
- The age and quality of the item at the start. A ten-year-old carpet was always going to look tired.
- The number and type of occupants. More people, children or pets mean more expected wear.
- What the inventory recorded at check-in. Without a clear starting point, it’s hard to show anything changed.
Wear and tear vs damage: typical examples
| Usually fair wear and tear | Usually damage or tenant responsibility |
|---|---|
| Light scuffs and fading on paintwork | Large stains, holes or unauthorised redecoration |
| Carpet flattened along walkways | Burns, rips or heavy staining to carpets |
| Minor marks from normal furniture use | Broken furniture or missing items |
| Loosened door handles or worn hinges | Damage from misuse, such as forced doors |
| Gradual sun-fading of curtains | Soiling, odours or pet damage not agreed in the tenancy |
These are general patterns, not rules — the evidence in each case decides it.
Apportionment: no betterment
Even where a tenant is responsible for damage, a landlord shouldn’t end up better off than at the start of the tenancy. Adjudicators commonly apportion the cost based on the item’s expected lifespan and how much of it had already been used.
An illustrative example: a carpet with an expected life of ten years was five years old at check-in and is damaged beyond repair at the end of a one-year tenancy. Replacing it with a new carpet would leave the landlord with an item that’s “better” than the six-year-old one they’d otherwise have — so a fair claim reflects the remaining useful life, not the full replacement cost.
Why the inventory decides it
Almost every fair wear and tear question comes back to the same thing: what was the condition at the start, and what is it now? That’s why the check-in inventory matters so much.
- Record condition and cleanliness separately, using clearly defined ratings.
- Be specific — size, location and nature of any existing marks or damage.
- Link every observation to dated photos taken during the inspection.
- Use the same structure at check-out, so the two reports compare line by line.
For more on what a thorough inventory should contain, see our property inventory checklist.
Thorough inventories, without the typing
Vuabl Reports drafts the inventory from your photos — condition and cleanliness for every item, meter readings and alarm records, each line linked to the photos behind it — so the evidence is there when it’s needed, without hours of write-up.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. For specific disputes, refer to your deposit scheme’s guidance.