Laws around painting

[Ruchi Patel]

we had a tenant for 5 year who had 3 little kids that drew all over the walls in the apartment. The house was freshly painted before they moved in. So we mentioned that they will be liable for the paint expense which he thinks is the landlords responsibility to paint every three years. Clearly not be accountable of the damage his kids caused to the their negligence and carelessness. 

What the does the below regulation mean? Seems like he cannot differentiate btwn regular wear and tear and intentional damage/ 

Paint requirements: Interior walls, ceilings and other exposed surfaces in rental units must be kept smooth, clean, free of flaking, loose or peeling paint, plaster or paper and maintained in a sanitary condition. Painting or other protective coatings are the responsibility of the occupant, not the landlord when required more than once every three years, as a result of acts or omissions of the tenant. (Rental units are not required to be painted between tenants.)

[Lynn McGeein]

@Ruchi Patel if the walls need repair from damage, like painter will itemize special primer or cleaner so crayons don’t bleed through, then my understanding is you can charge them for that part of the job, but only if it’s an additional charge above the normal paint job fee. Same with cleaning - they’ll itemize excessive charges for grease/dirt beyond normal and I charge only that amount to tenants deposit.