Wear and Tear

Once upon a time, a prime property was leased out. Years went by, and the lease went smoothly...until the move-out inspection.

During the inspection, the lessor found scuff marks on portions of the wood flooring. The lessor consulted his contractor about having those repaired and was advised that the floor of the whole property would have to be sanded. Thus, the lessor billed the service, which cost several hundred thousand pesos against the tenant's security deposit.

The tenant found it absurd, so he returned to inspect the "scuff" marks the lessor pointed to. He saw light circular dents on the floor, which he thought were from women's heels (his wife's and/or guests).

A lengthy debate ensued, and harsh words were exchanged. The tenant claimed those dimples were "wear-and-tear" (WAT), while the lessor they were due to neglect.

End of Story.

Wikipedia defines WAT as "damage that naturally and inevitably occurs as a result of normal wear or aging." The point of contention here is whether those small dimples constitute such. The lessor believed those marks were not WAT since the tenant was supposed to take off their shoes inside the property. In another (similar) story, scuff marks on the floor were from dining chairs (that came with the property) that lost their rubber padding. Does that constitute WAT? I won't join the debate since I believe it's subjective. Instead, it's essential to determine how the lessor sees such damages–before the lease contract is signed.

Before signing, I suggest showing lessors photos of different kinds of damages and having them identify whether or not they constitute WAT. Relay the information to the prospective tenants and ask whether or not they agree. It's a simple process that could skip a lot of headaches later on.

Side note: These points of contention usually revolve around things that couldn't be repaired in part (i.e., need to be replaced) and are, therefore, expensive. These include wooden flooring, granite countertops, and furniture. So, if a property has these features, it is more important to identify what constitutes WAT.