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Normal Wear and Tear
The natural physical deterioration from ordinary, reasonable use, legally exempted from tenant security deposit deductions and surrender penalties.
Normal Wear and Tear refers to the expected, gradual physical deterioration of a property and its fixtures resulting from ordinary, reasonable everyday use by an occupant without negligence, accident, or abuse.
In residential tenancies, landlords cannot legally deduct ordinary depreciation (such as gently faded paint, carpet traffic wear, or aging plumbing gaskets) from tenant security deposits under California Civil Code § 1950.5. In commercial leases, surrender clauses heavily negotiate wear-and-tear carveouts regarding concrete floor slab loading, roof penetrations for tenant HVAC equipment, dock leveler mechanics, and heavy machinery floor wear, separating ordinary operational wear from tenant restoration obligations.
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