Fair Wear and Tear vs Damage for WA Rental Bonds
The Line Between Normal Use and Damage
Fair wear and tear is the gradual deterioration of a property from ordinary, everyday use and exposure to the elements over time. A landlord in Western Australia cannot deduct from a tenant's bond for fair wear and tear — only for damage that goes beyond what reasonable living would produce.
Drawing that line correctly is the core skill of bond accounting. Get it wrong by claiming too much, and the Commissioner for Consumer Protection will reject the deduction and you lose credibility on the rest of your claim. Get it wrong by claiming too little, and you absorb repair costs that the tenant should have covered.
The Practical Distinctions
| Area | Fair wear and tear (no deduction) | Tenant damage (deductible) |
|---|---|---|
| Walls and paint | Minor scuffs near doorways, slight fading from sunlight, small nail holes from picture hooks | Deep holes, unauthorised bright paint colours, heavy scuffs, gouges |
| Carpets and floors | Natural pile flattening in high-traffic areas, slight colour fading | Burns, large stains, pet urine odour, tears, cigarette marks |
| Cleaning | Light dust in window tracks despite regular cleaning effort | Grease-coated oven, mould from neglected cleaning, uncleaned bathroom |
| Fixtures | Loose door handles from age, worn tap washers, faded curtains | Broken window glass, cracked toilet bowls, torn fly screens |
| Gardens | Seasonal plant die-back, natural lawn wear from foot traffic | Removed plants, dumped rubbish, broken irrigation, neglected garden beds |
The key test: would this deterioration have happened regardless of who lived there, given the same period of time? Carpet pile flattens whether the tenant is careful or careless — that's fair wear and tear. A burn mark in the carpet only happens through a specific incident — that's damage.
Depreciation Changes Everything
Even when damage is clearly the tenant's fault, the landlord cannot claim the full replacement cost. WA law requires accounting for the asset's age and remaining useful life. Claiming a brand-new replacement at the tenant's expense is "betterment" — and it's not allowed.
The depreciation formula:
Allowable claim = Replacement cost × (Remaining useful life ÷ Total expected useful life)
A practical example: the tenant burns a hole in a carpet that was installed five years ago. Carpet has an expected useful life of about ten years. Replacement cost for new carpet is $1,200. The carpet had five years of life remaining, so the maximum deduction is $1,200 × (5 ÷ 10) = $600.
If the carpet was nine years old, the landlord could only claim $120 — because the carpet was nearly at the end of its useful life regardless.
Useful life depends on the item's age and condition. For a worked carpet example, use a ten-year expected life:
| Item | Example useful life |
|---|---|
| Carpet | 10 years |
Free Download
Get the Western Australia Rental Bond Checklist
Everything in this article as a printable checklist — plus action plans and reference guides you can start using today.
The Evidence Burden Is on the Landlord
In a WA bond dispute, the landlord must prove:
- What the property looked like at move-in — through the Form 1 Property Condition Report and date-stamped photographs
- What it looked like at move-out — through the exit inspection and matching photographs
- That the difference exceeds fair wear and tear — specific damage beyond what time and normal use would cause
- The cost of remediation at depreciated value — real invoices or quotes, not estimates
Unsubstantiated blanket deductions ("$500 for general cleaning and repairs") are rejected by the Commissioner. Every line item needs a paper trail.
Protecting Your Position From Day One
Fair wear and tear disputes are won or lost at the start of the tenancy, not the end. A detailed Form 1 with specific descriptions ("two small nail holes above light switch, paint scuff 10cm on skirting near bedroom door") and comprehensive date-stamped photographs gives you an unambiguous baseline.
At exit, repeat the same inspection in the same order, photograph the same surfaces, and note the differences. The side-by-side comparison is what the Commissioner or court evaluates.
The Rental Bonds in Western Australia guide includes a depreciation calculator, an exit deduction worksheet, and a condition report annotation template to build a complete evidence file.
Get Your Free Western Australia Rental Bond Checklist
Download the Western Australia Rental Bond Checklist — a printable guide with checklists, scripts, and action plans you can start using today.