The law does not define “normal wear and tear.” The most important thing to remember is that in California no deposit can be defined as “nonrefundable”—not even a cleaning deposit—so a property owner should be reasonable and prudent when deciding not to return a portion—or all—of a resident’s security deposit. The owner should always take into consideration the amount of time the resident lived in the unit. The law is clear that the owner may charge the tenant for the cleaning of the premises upon termination of the tenancy necessary to return the unit to the same level of cleanliness it was at the inception of the tenancy.
For more information see CAA’s Industry Insight – Security Deposits: Collection and Return