If you look up the definition of normal wear and tear on Google, you’ll find that it is “the unavoidable deterioration on a dwelling and its fixtures resulting from normal use”. An example is carpet that wears down due to regular traffic. That’s normal wear and tear but a cigarette burn on a carpet is not normal wear and tear. It’s damage because it’s avoidable. We have seen clothing iron burns on carpet as well, and when an iron burns a hole in the carpet, it’s definitely considered damage. You want to protect yourself in this process because your tenant is entitled to normal wear and tear but not damage.
Wear and tearPrepare your property before the tenant moves in. Have it cleaned and ready to go. Document the condition of the property on film so you can demonstrate how it looks in a courtroom if you need to. If you have to prove abuse at the time of move out, you’ll have a record. It’s in everyone’s best interest to do this because you don’t want to lose an argument over damage.
Preventative maintenance is important with your rental property. You only want to hire professionals to do work at your property. Never let a tenant do any work on your property because you don’t know if they are qualified to perform the repair. They could easily ruin an appliance or a piece of equipment. Keep track of all your appliance repair history and know what your warranties are in case you need them. At Florida Management & Consulting, we have a specific software system that keeps all of this information organized for our owners.
We can’t emphasize this enough: know the law on security deposits. You’ll find it under Florida Statute 83.49, and it will tell you exactly what’s right and what’s not right when it comes to security deposits and your tenants.
If you have any questions about normal wear and tear, please contact us at Florida Management & Consulting, and we’d be happy to answer them for you.
Military: David Harper is a retired United States Air Force Lieutenant Colonel. As a Lieutenant he served in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War (1968-1969) where he was a Casualty Staging Officer ( Aeromedical Evacuation). He was tasked with moving wounded Soldiers and Marines from Vietnam to various military hospitals in the theatre and eventually Stateside. After serving in several Air Force Reserve Units he was “called up” to serve in Desert Shield/Desert Storm (1990-1991) Where he was Chief Planner on the Central Command Staff for the Aeromedical Evacuation of all US Casualties during the pre-invasion and post-invasion phases. He retired from the Air Force Reserve in 1993. Currently he is the President of the Broward County Chapter of the Military Officer’s Association of America.
South Florida Property Manager Roger Schalk is a member of the National Association of Residential Property Managers (NARPM), and the Florida Association of Property Managers (FARPM). A real estate professional for 18 years he has spent his entire professional career managing and developing company’s and their employees in customer facing roles and has successfully established himself in Property Management.