Can a landlord charge a tenant for damaged carpet, and how does the age of the carpet matter?
A landlord can charge for carpet damage the tenant caused, but not for normal wear, and a charge for a full replacement is hard to defend when the carpet was already old. The common approach is to prorate: charge only the share of the carpet's life left on the day it was damaged. The statutes say deductions are for damage beyond normal wear, and they leave the math to you, so write down your method and use it every time.
What the statutes say about wear and damage
Texas Property Code section 92.104 lets a landlord deduct damages and charges for which the tenant is legally liable, and says the landlord "may not retain any portion of a security deposit to cover normal wear and tear." The page does not define normal wear.
California Civil Code section 1950.5 limits deductions to the repair of damages to the premises, exclusive of ordinary wear and tear, caused by the tenant or a guest, and says the landlord shall not claim against the tenant for ordinary wear and tear or its effects. Virginia section 55.1-1226 allows damages less reasonable wear and tear.
None of these pages gives a carpet formula or a number of years. So there is no statute to quote for a carpet's life. The prorating method below is a common way landlords show reasonableness, and you should read it as your own policy, not as a legal rule.
What counts as wear and what counts as damage
| Usually ordinary wear | Usually damage |
|---|---|
| Flattened pile in walkways | Burn marks or large stains from spills left untreated |
| Fading near windows | Pet urine that soaked into the pad |
| Small spots that clean out | Cuts, tears or holes |
| Light edge wear under furniture | Paint, glue or chemicals spilled on it |
Courts decide each case on its own facts. Photos from move-in and move-out, taken from the same spots, are the best evidence you can bring.
How to prorate a carpet charge
- Find the age of the carpet on the day the damage happened: the install date from your records or invoice.
- Pick a useful life and use it every time. Your tax adviser may use 5 years for depreciation, which is a tax rule and not a measure of how long carpet lasts. Many owners use a longer working life for deduction math, and any number you pick should be one you can explain.
- Divide the carpet's age by its useful life to get the share used up. Subtract that from 1 to get the share left.
- Multiply the share left by the cost to replace the damaged area.
Example a made-up carpet was installed in a bedroom 4 years ago. The landlord's own policy is an 8 year working life. The tenant's dog ruined it, and replacement costs $960. The share used is 4 / 8 = 50%, so the share left is 50%, and the charge is 50% x $960 = $480. If the same carpet were 9 years old, the share left is 0 and the charge is $0 for the carpet itself, even though the damage is real.
If only part of a room is damaged and you cannot patch it, say so on the statement. A reasonable charge covers what is needed to put the room right, not an upgrade.
What to write on the deposit statement
- The room, the item and what happened, with two photos and the date taken.
- The age of the carpet and the method used to prorate the charge.
- The replacement quote or invoice, attached.
- The amount deducted and the deadline the state gives for the full statement.
A short, clear statement is what a judge or the tenant reads first. See also how repairs are separated from normal wear.
How DoorKeeping handles it
Keep the carpet invoice with the unit's documents so the install date is easy to find. When the bill for the replacement arrives, your Claude or ChatGPT, connected to DoorKeeping, can read it and code it to the unit's repairs. The deposit statement and any refund wait for your one-tap approval.
Sources
- Texas Property Code section 92.104, retention of security deposit, read Oct 30, 2026
- California Civil Code section 1950.5, security deposits, read Oct 30, 2026
- Code of Virginia section 55.1-1226, security deposits, read Oct 30, 2026
Questions
- How long does carpet last in a rental?
- It depends on quality, traffic and care, and no statute opened for this post sets a number. Pick a working life for your own deduction method, apply it the same way every time, and be ready to explain it.
- Can I charge the full price of new carpet?
- Usually not when the old carpet had already used up much of its life, because the tenant would be paying for a benefit you receive. Prorating is the more defensible approach.
- Does the same idea apply to paint and blinds?
- Yes. Any item with a normal life can be prorated by its age. See the post on repainting for the same method applied to walls.