Move Out Resource Center

Who is responsible for cleaning up the property?

What is normal wear and tear?

Who is responsible for cleaning up the property?
Unless specifically stated in the lease, the tenant is responsible to return the property in the state in which they found it, excluding normal wear and tear. [back to top]

What is normal wear and tear?
Normal wear and tear includes deterioration of the premises that occurs during normal conditions. For example, paint may fade, electrical switches may wear out and break, pull strings on blinds my fray or break, carpet and tile may wear down.

These things happen even if the tenant cleans regularly and cares for the premises reasonably. Damage occurs from unreasonable use or accidents. Damage can include extreme build up of dirt, mold, etc., stains on carpets, and broken windows. Even intentional alterations to the premises are considered damage. For example, the tenant cannot leave large holes in the walls from shelving or hanging pictures, and cannot repaint the walls to significantly change the color. If a tenant wants to make changes to the premises that will remain after the tenant moves out, the tenant should do so only with the landlord's written permission.

The parties can, and in some states must, take steps to avoid disputes over damage. At the beginning of the lease term, the tenant should inspect the premises thoroughly and note all problems in writing on a check in/check out form. Both the tenant and the landlord should sign and date the list. At the end of the lease, the tenant should again inspect the premises with the landlord present, discuss any damage with the landlord, and check any problems found against the move in check list. The landlord is not required to be present to do a walkthrough together with the tenant.

The following , but by no means comprehensive, list is intended as a guide to reasonable interpretation of the differences between expected wear and tear from normal residential use and irresponsible or intentional actions that cause damage to a landlord's property.

Wear & Tear	Damages
Worn out keys	Lost keys
Loose or stubborn door lock	Broken or missing locks
Loose hinges or handles on doors	Damage to a door from forced entry
Worn and dirty carpeting	Torn, stained or burned carpeting
Carpet seam unglued	Rust or oil stains on carpet
Scuffed up wood floors	Badly scratched or gouged wood floors
Linoleum worn thin	Linoleum with tears or holes
Worn countertop	Burns and cuts in countertop
Stain on ceiling from rain or bad plumbing	Stain on ceiling from overflowed tub
Plaster cracks from settling	Holes in walls from kids or carelessness
Faded, chipped or cracked paint	Unapproved (bad) tenant paint job
Loose wallpaper	Ripped or marked-up wallpaper
Balky drapery rod	Broken drapery rod
Faded curtains and drapes	Torn or missing curtains and drapes
Heat blistered blinds	Blinds with bent slats
Dirty window or door screens	Torn or missing screens
Sticky window	Broken window
Loose or inoperable faucet handle	Broken or missing faucet handle
Toilet runs or wobbles	Broken toilet seat or tank top
Urine odor around toilet	Urine or pet odor throughout unit
Closet bi-fold door off track	Damaged or missing bi-fold door

This wear and tear information was obtained from Rental Housing On Line, the Internet's most comprehensive landlord/tenant rental housing site, with information, law, forms, forums, live chat and vacancy listing service. Visit RHOL at: http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/index.php?option=com_externalredirect&url=http://www.rhol.org/ [back to top]

LINKS:
Frequently asked Questions about landlord/tenant relationships
Landlord/tenant handbook (en espanol)
Sample check-in/check-out form
Sample letter to suggest mediation

Mediation Program
2160 Spruce Street
Boulder, CO 80301
303-441-4364

Last Updated on Tuesday, 25 August 2009 20:19

Clicking any flag icon above calls Google translation service to translate the page to the language you have chosen. Graphics containing text, PDF files, and special applications on this page cannot be translated. As with any computer translation, conversion is not context-sensitive and may not convert text into its intended meaning. The city of Boulder does not guarantee the accuracy of translated text. If the information you are seeking is not clear please return to the main page for the specific city department and contact them directly. Please note that some applications and/or services may not work as expected when translated.

Plugins needed for this Web site: [ Adobe Reader ] [ Flash Player ] [ Quicktime ] [ Real Player ]