Cleaning, fair wear and tear, or damage?

Tenancy Services describes fair wear and tear as gradual deterioration from normal use by people or pets. Examples include worn flooring and taps or washers wearing out. A tenant is not responsible for normal fair wear and tear, but intentional or careless damage is treated differently.

Dust, removable cooking residue, soap film, ordinary soil and loose rubbish are cleaning tasks. Clean an area using a method suitable for its material, then assess what remains. A permanent burn, deep stain, torn surface or broken fitting is not repaired by further scrubbing.

• Photograph the mark before treatment
• Use non-damaging products and tools
• Stop if the finish begins to change
• Record what remains after the surface is dry

A signed entry report and dated photographs can show whether an issue was already present. Age and normal use also matter. Avoid describing every visible difference as damage or every permanent mark as dirt; keep the observations specific and factual.

Tell the landlord about damage or repair needs as soon as possible. At move-out, list unresolved repair items separately from the cleaning scope. If the parties disagree about responsibility or cost, Tenancy Services explains the process and the Tenancy Tribunal can decide a dispute.