A: PropM, Inc. is pet-friendly and we understand the important role your furry companion plays in your life. Breed and animal restrictions will vary by each individually owned property. For your convenience, please find the Restricted Breed list below for your review.
The following animals are strictly prohibited:
Breeds of Dogs:
Poisonous Animals:
Exotic Animals:
Normal wear and tear is different than tenant caused damage. Normal wear and tear occurs naturally over time. Damage caused by tenants isn’t a result of aging but is a result of negligence, carelessness or abuse. Normal wear and tear is required to be paid for by the landlord and tenant damage is not.
In the table below we will illustrate examples of types of normal wear and tear and tenant caused damage and the differences between the two.
Type of Material |
Average Useful Life |
Normal Wear and Tear |
Tenant Damage |
Carpet |
5 years |
Gently worn carpets that show some worn patches but no holes or stains |
Pet caused damage such as heavily stained carpets and ripped carpeting |
Hardwood Flooring |
25 years |
Fading of flooring due to sunlight exposure |
Deeply scratched hardwood floors or pieces of the hardwood missing |
Tile Flooring |
25 years |
Dirty grout surrounding the tiles |
Broken or chipped tiles or missing tiles |
Windows |
20 years |
Lightly scratched glass and worn, loose hardware |
Broken glass, ripped screens, broken window hardware |
Countertops |
20+ years |
Scratches and light watermarks |
Chipped countertops, burnt areas, and/or multiple stains |
Walls |
Lifetime |
Cracks in the walls caused by settling |
Holes in the walls, damage from hanging pictures |
Paint |
3 years |
Fading paint from sunlight and minor scuffing from daily use |
Paint that has been scribbled on, unauthorized paint colors |
For a better understanding of the difference between the two (and when you can deduct the tenant’s deposit), let’s take a look at the two most common examples, which are normal wear and tear vs damaged carpet and normal wear and tear vs damaged paint.
If the carpet has been in place for 5 years or longer, it’s the landlord’s responsibility to replace it, since that is the length of the carpet’s useful life. If the carpet has light sun damage or is showing signs of wear, that is normal wear and tear and the landlord cannot blame the tenant.
It’s the landlord’s responsibility to keep the property free of hazards. So, if the carpet has worn out over the years and become a trip hazard, it should be immediately replaced and paid for by the landlord. But, if the carpet has been ripped or has excessive fraying, it’s the tenant’s fault and the cost to replace it can be deducted from the tenant’s security deposit.
Further, if the carpet is stained either by a pet or spilling food, wine, dirt, and more, it’s considered tenant-caused damage and can also be deducted from the security deposit. State laws vary on landlord tenant laws regarding security deposits but generally, the landlord needs to get a repair quote from a licensed contractor and send the tenant an itemized list of the damage along with the check for the remainder of the security deposit.
Peeling paint, sun damage or a small number of scuffs are considered normal wear and tear and the landlord should touch them up between tenants. Ceiling paint usually lasts longer since no one is constantly touching the ceiling. Ceiling paint should be touched up when a leak occurs or on an as-needed basis.
If the paint has holes in it, excessive scuff marks or other marks such as drawings or scribbles, it is considered damage caused by a tenant. In this case, the cost to fix the damage and paint the walls will be deducted from the tenant’s security deposit. You can do this by getting a quote from a licensed contractor and sending the tenant an itemized list of the damage, along with the check for the rest of their security deposit.
“The easiest way to discern between wear and tear and tenant caused damage is to think of wear and tear as any damage that’s caused by natural forces or damage that’s caused by daily use. Tenant caused damage should be thought of as damage requiring more than routine maintenance to repair. Obviously, this doesn’t include things like a leaky pipe or things that would happen to the property regardless of who the tenant was.”