We have had many tenants moving in and out of properties recently, and I thought it a good time to clarify what the term “fair wear and tear” means.
When it comes to Residential Tenancy Agreements, fair wear and tear means the normal deterioration of a property over time from ordinary, everyday use.
Some examples of fair wear and tear consist of faded curtains, frayed cords, furniture indentations and traffic marks on flooring, scuffed wooden flooring, faded or chipped paint or movement cracks.
Some examples of what is not fair wear and tear are missing or torn curtains, large marks or holes in walls, significant damage to flooring such as stains or burn marks, badly scratched or gouged wooden floors, unapproved paint jobs, burns or cuts in benchtops, and damage caused by pets.
The tenant is responsible to rectify any negligent, irresponsible or intentional actions that cause damage to the property. These are things we look for during our regular routine inspections rather than just waiting until the end of the tenancy.
Should we discover that there are some items that need to be rectified, we will ad- dress this as soon as possible to achieve a suitable solution.
Alternatively, if it is the end of the tenancy and damage is noted on the outgoing inspection, we will claim the tenant’s bond to reimburse or compensate the landlord for this.
For more information on this topic please feel free to contact the Century 21 Central West team today.
