Can a landlord charge for holes from mounting a TV?
Short answer
It depends
Small picture-hanging holes are wear and tear, but the large anchor holes left by a TV mount often need real drywall repair, which can be a fair, modest deduction.
A TV wall mount uses heavy anchors that leave large holes and can crack or crater the drywall — that goes beyond the pin holes of hanging a picture, so patching, sanding, and repainting the affected area can be chargeable.
If the lease required permission to mount a TV and the tenant didn't ask, that strengthens the case. Keep the charge to the actual repair, not a whole-room repaint unless the wall genuinely needs it.
Usually normal wear & tear
- ✓Small nail or pin holes filled during normal repainting
Often chargeable damage
- •Large anchor holes from a mount
- •Cracked or cratered drywall
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.