Normal wear and tear
The gradual, expected deterioration of a rental from ordinary living — which a landlord cannot deduct from your security deposit.
Normal wear and tear is the depreciation a home undergoes from reasonable, everyday use: faded or lightly scuffed paint, small nail or tack holes, worn carpet in walkways, minor scratches, and loose hinges. By law in most states, a landlord must absorb this as a cost of doing business and may not charge it against your [security deposit](/guides/home-maintenance-for-renters-and-tenants). What a landlord can deduct is actual damage beyond ordinary use — large or excessive holes in walls, pet or burn stains in carpet, broken doors and windows, or filth requiring more than routine cleaning. The line between the two is the single biggest source of deposit disputes, which is why dated move-in and move-out photos matter so much.