What Cleaning and Repairs Can a Landlord Charge For?

Know what costs your landlord is permitted to deduct from your security deposit.

Typically, landlords may charge tenants for any cleaning or repairs necessary to restore the rental unit to its condition at the beginning of the tenancy. Landlords may not, however, use the tenant's security deposit to cover the costs of ordinary wear and tear.

1. Curtains faded by the sun
2. Water-stained linoleum by shower
3. Minor marks on or nicks in wall
4. Dents in the wall where a door handle bumped it
5. Moderate dirt or spotting on carpet
6. A few small tack or nail holes in wall
7. A rug worn thin by normal use
8. Worn gaskets on refrigerator doors
9. Faded paint on bedroom wall
10. Dark patches of ingrained soil on hardwood floors that have lost their finish and have been worn down to bare wood
11. Warped cabinet doors that won't close
12. Stains on old porcelain fixtures that have lost their protective coating
13. Moderately dirty mini-blinds
14. Bathroom mirror beginning to "de-silver" (black spots)
15. Clothes dryer that delivers cold air because the thermostat has given out
16. Toilet flushes inadequately because mineral deposits have clogged the jets

1. Cigarette burns in curtains or carpets
2. Broken tiles in bathroom
3. Large marks on or holes in wall
4. Door off its hinges
5. Rips in carpet or urine stains from pets
6. Lots of picture holes or gouges in walls that require patching as well as repainting
7. Stains in rug caused by a leaking fish tank
8. Broken refrigerator shelf
9. Water damage on wall from hanging plants
10. Water stains on wood floors and window sills caused by windows being left open during rainstorms
11. Sticky dirty cabinets
12. Grime-coated bathtub and toilet
13. Missing mini-blinds
14. Mirrors caked with lipstick and makeup
15. Dryer that won't turn at all because it's been over-loaded
16. Toilets that won't flush properly because it's stopped up with a diaper or other obstacles