What Falls Under Normal Wear And Tear At The End Of Tenancy?

As a tenant, you have to fulfil several responsibilities when ending your tenancy. These responsibilities include removing your belongings from the rented property and cleaning it thoroughly. Additionally, you have to take care of repairs before moving out to ensure it is in the same condition it was at the start of the tenancy. These repairs are for damages caused due to your negligence, but not for fair wear and tear. While you live in a rented property, some wear and tear is expected and the landlord cannot withhold your bond money for it. You can hire professional end of lease cleaners to deep clean your rental property, but they cannot fix dents on walls, severe scratches on floors, torn curtains, broken window handles etc. Therefore, it is important you know what falls under normal wear and tear. Here is a complete guide outlining the definition fair wear/tear and how it is different from property damage. If you plan to move out soon and want to get your full bond back in Melbourne, have a look.

What Is General Wear And Tear?

Any deterioration in the condition of a rental property’s surfaces and fixtures due to fair use during a tenancy is normal wear and tear. As a tenant, you must keep the rented house or apartment in a reasonable clean condition and avoid damaging or soiling its floors, fixtures, walls and other areas. Reside in your rental property sensibly and talk with your landlord before making any major changes such as painting the walls, installing a fixture etc. Also, make sure you refer to the condition report to know what damages or signs of wear/tear were present before your tenancy started. If you live in a rented property like a responsible tenant, you can get your bond back in full without any kind of stress or hassle by hiring professional end of lease cleaners in Melbourne.

Property Damage Vs. Fair Wear And Tear

Understanding the difference between property damage and normal wear/tear is crucial to avoid problems while ending your tenancy. To help you know the difference, here are some examples of both.

• Examples of property damage: Missing or torn blinds or curtains, stains and burn marks on floors/carpets, broken tiles or torn carpet due to neglect or intent, scratched or gouged wooden or laminated surfaces, unapproved paint on any area or fixture, holes in walls, carpet or floors, and paint damage from hangings, stickers, nails etc.

• Examples of reasonable wear/tear: Fading of wall paint, worn countertops from fair use, gradual deterioration of carpet/floors in high traffic areas, loose door/window handles, minor scuff marks, cracks in walls due to natural causes, scuffed floors/surfaces etc.

Note: In case you accidentally damage any surface or fixture in your rental property during the tenancy, inform the landlord and get it repaired after approval. Ensure the repairs or maintenance work is complete before the tenancy ends to avoid any difficulties or delays for claiming your bond and getting a refund.

How Does Bond Cleaning Help?

You increase your chances of getting a full bond repayment by being mindful of your rented house/apartment and keeping it reasonably neat and tidy. The law doesn’t require you to return the house/apartment in a better or cleaner condition than before. You only need to keep it clean during your tenancy and perform bond cleaning adequately to be eligible for a complete bond repayment when your lease agreement ends. Bond cleaning is crucial, and you can hire professional end of lease cleaners in Melbourne to spruce your property and do the needful. The professionals can effectively and efficiently sanitise and disinfect your home to make it presentable and help form a good impression of you as a tenant during the final inspection. Therefore, whenever you give the notice for vacating a rental property, look for reliable and experienced end of lease cleaning professionals in Melbourne and book them as soon as possible.

Conclusion

Reasonable wear and tears like scuffed floors from use, worn carpets in high traffic areas, faded paint and other changes/deterioration due to fair usage is expected. These are not major causes of concern, but if your rented property has damage that is not reasonable and due to neglect, you can lose your bond. Thus, make sure to understand what falls under wear and tear as stated in this guide and hire professional end of lease cleaners in Melbourne to adequately clean and disinfect your rental house/unit.