Do I keep the security deposit?

[Caroline Pratt]

So my tenant vacated the end of September and they were a great tenant. The biggest problem is they put a can of tire cleaner on the countertop and the can leaked and bleached out the black quartz countertop around where the can was sitting. The discolored portion is in a semicircle and is maybe an inch to two inches wide is the countertop usable? Absolutely. Is it discolored...absolutely. Do I charge them their security deposit for this of $1500 ? It would be more than that if I wanted to replace it My property manager is somewhat pushing me to not charge her but I feel this isn’t normal wear and tear. Thoughts please????

[Katie Stewart]

Because it's not normal wear and tear, I would definitely charge them for the damage! Make sure you document everything in case your tenant takes legal action. This means taking pictures of the damage, making sure you have pictures of the countertops before the tenant moved in, and keeping the receipts when you fix it.