I have rented out a house for less than a year. We found that tenant has been very poorly maintaining the grout, which has changed from white to almost black on huge area. Also, there is chip on the cabinet frame and door frame, which I know can be fixed easily. However I am not very happy with how negligent the tenant is towards a rental home. Can I deduct the repair and cleaning from the security deposit? Thanks
Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes
1y
#1 Grout - I don't think you have a leg to stand on here. Grout is a porous material and is really hard to maintain for anyone, I would expect a renter to do anything more than just wipe the counters regularly. Cleaning the grout with a brush and bleach (or?) is another deal altogether...
#2 Cabinet - Depends how big the chip is? A large one (over an inch or two) could be considered negligent damage...but a smaller one is pretty natural, just wood-glue it back on and secure with tape or a clamp for an hour.
IMHO, if these are your biggest issues with a renter, you are doing great. Don't sweat the small stuff!
Rental Property Investor · SE Michigan · Member since 2014 · 4k+ posts · 6k+ votes
1y
Your expectations regarding grout may not be reasonable. The chip on the cabinet is a slightly different issue.
It would be unusual to fix the cabinet now and take it out of the security deposit as you are just reducing your protection. If you do have the cabinet repaired, just add it to their next month's bill. I would, of course, communicate this to the resident.
As far as the grout, I don't think I've ever had a resident that "maintained the grout". If it is just a mildew issue, ask them to go buy some Tilex or other mildew cleaner as that will likely clear up the problem. If they don't clean it by your next inspection, then give them a lease violation notice. If you are asking them to manually clean the grout with a grout brush and then apply a sealer, that is not realistic.
Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes
1y
#1 Grout - I don't think you have a leg to stand on here. Grout is a porous material and is really hard to maintain for anyone, I would expect a renter to do anything more than just wipe the counters regularly. Cleaning the grout with a brush and bleach (or?) is another deal altogether...
#2 Cabinet - Depends how big the chip is? A large one (over an inch or two) could be considered negligent damage...but a smaller one is pretty natural, just wood-glue it back on and secure with tape or a clamp for an hour.
IMHO, if these are your biggest issues with a renter, you are doing great. Don't sweat the small stuff!
Those don't sound like major issues. I would focus on actual damage to the unit, if there is any, in order to make a case for holding some of the deposit.