--- title: "Tenant Damage vs. Wear and Tear on Your Southern Maryland Property" description: "After a tenant moves out of your southern Maryland rental property, you’ll need to determine what qualifies as tenant damage and what is..." url: https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/tenant-damage-vs-wear-tear-southern-maryland-property publisher: Real Property Management Gold phone: +1-301-392-2172 assessment: https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/contact-us#assessment --- # Tenant Damage vs. Normal Wear and Tear on Your Southern Maryland Rental Property MaintenancePublished May 17, 2017Updated May 25, 2017 After a tenant moves out of your southern Maryland rental property, you’ll need to determine what qualifies as tenant damage and what is considered normal wear and tear. This can be difficult to define, and subjective at times. It takes a little experience to know what you can and cannot do, and you need to be careful. If you charge something against the tenant that shouldn’t have been charged, you could have negative repercussions. A [southern Maryland property manager](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/southern-maryland-property-management) can help. ## **Tenant Damages** Damages are things that the tenant caused from negligence or malice. They weren’t paying attention and something happened, or they destroyed something. Some of the most common incidences of tenant damage are broken windows, broken doors, holes in walls, cuts on counters from not using a cutting board, cigarette burns, excessive ivy growing up the property, or unmaintained landscaping. When a tenant does not report damage, it can be a huge problem. They might see a leak and not bother calling it in. Or, they overflow the toilet and you can tell, or the grease that was poured down a drain causes a clog. We do charge tenants for this type of damage. ## **Normal Wear and Tear** [Every house has normal wear and tear](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/lower-property-maintenance-costs). If your carpet is five years old, it will need to be replaced. You cannot charge the tenants for the full amount. If they damage it, you have to prorate the cost based on how long they have lived there. The same should be done with walls. There will be normal wear and tear from living in a property. Things get hammered into the wall, but when anchors are used, they need to repair and replace the holes. Settlement cracks and other foundational issues cannot be considered damage, and will be your own responsibility. Loose cabinets and hinges are also to be expected. According to Maryland state law, you have to give your tenants the benefit of the doubt. Courts will come down hard if you charge a tenant for something that you cannot prove was damage. So if you see something that’s borderline damage, it’s probably not worth charging them. You want to avoid the ordeal. If you have any questions about how a southern Maryland property management company handles this, please [contact us](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/contact-us) at Real Property Management Gold. ## Terms on this page - [Normal wear and tear](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/glossary/normal-wear-and-tear) First published by Real Property Management Gold on May 17, 2017. Details may have changed since then; current rules are in the [Landlord Center](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/landlord-center). ## Keep reading - [Smart Property Management Strategies for Rental Owners in California, MDCalifornia, Maryland is part of the Southern Maryland rental market and benefits from consistent housing demand driven by military activity, \[…\]](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/smart-property-management-strategies-rental-owners-california-md) - [How 3D Virtual Tours Improve Rental Property Marketing & Lease FasterStand out in a competitive rental market. Learn how to use 3D virtual tours to showcase your property and attract quality tenants.](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/virtual-walkthroughs-rent-your-property-faster-661) - [Protecting Your Southern Maryland Rental Property: The Importance of Professional ManagementAre you a DIY landlord in Southern Maryland? Protecting your investment is crucial, and it can be a full-time job. \[…\]](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/protecting-your-southern-maryland-rental-property) ## Ask what your home could rent for. Free. A free rental assessment from our offices in Lexington Park and Waldorf. No cost, no contract, no pressure. [Request a free assessment](https://realpmgold.multisites.ai/contact-us#assessment)[(301) 392-2172](tel:+13013922172)