Can a landlord charge a tenant for repainting?
Short answer
Usually normal wear and tear
Repainting to cover normal scuffs, minor marks, and faded paint is typically a landlord expense. You can charge when walls are damaged or altered beyond normal use — think large holes, unapproved colors, or crayon and smoke damage.
Paint wears out. Fading, minor scuffs from furniture, and the general dinginess of walls after someone has lived in a unit for a year or more are classic examples of normal wear and tear that landlords are expected to absorb. Like carpet, interior paint is often treated as having a useful life, after which repainting is simply maintenance.
Charges become fair when the tenant did something beyond living there normally: painting walls a bold color without permission, leaving large or numerous holes, or causing damage from smoke, grease, or children's drawings that requires priming and extra coats.
If a tenant lived in the unit for many years, it's very hard to justify charging them for paint at all — the paint would have needed refreshing regardless of who lived there.
Usually normal wear & tear
- ✓Faded or slightly dirty walls
- ✓Small scuffs from furniture
- ✓Minor marks around switches and doorknobs
Often chargeable damage
- •Unapproved paint colors that need covering
- •Large or numerous holes requiring patching
- •Smoke, grease, or crayon damage needing primer
More deduction questions
This is general educational information about how normal wear and tear is typically distinguished from tenant damage — not legal advice. Deposit rules vary by state and locality; confirm your state's rules or consult a local attorney before relying on any specific deduction.