“Normal wear and tear” is one of the most common terms associated with rentals, and typically results from tenants living in a property. The question remains, what could this mean for your business? It is important to know the difference between normal wear and tear and potential damage caused by tenant neglect.

The Differences
In any rental property, there are sure to be certain areas where there is fading, discoloration, or even aging. This can be expected from even the simplest of tasks, such as walking on the floors or carpets on a daily basis.

Property damage, on the other hand, often results from abuse and neglect, compared to damage from ordinary use. You wouldn’t expect to see visibly dismantled appliances from everyday use. Unexpected property damage does not occur naturally; it often happens on purpose, by accident, or due to tenant neglect.

What Does This Mean to You?
Typically, the responsibility of a pristine property falls on the landlord to ensure all is ready for future tenants. If the property has minimal damages at the time of tenant move-in, it will make it easier to determine what was already damaged and what may be wear and tear damage at the time of move-out.

It may seem overwhelming dealing with tenants after they leave, instead of dealing with property fixes, security deposits, and pending tenant contracts, contact one of our expert MGR property managers today to help facilitate the process.