Have You Ever Wondered What Normal Wear and Tear Means?

Normal vs. Excessive Damage
Normal Wear & Tear:
Landlord's Responsibility Excessive Tenant Damage:
Resident's Responsibility
A few small nail holes, chips, smudges, dents, scrapes, or cracks in the walls Gaping holes in walls from abuse, accidents, or neglect. Unapproved paint colors or unprofessional paint jobs. Dozens of nail holes which need patching and repainting.
Faded paint Water damage on wall from hanging plants or constant rubbing of furniture
Slightly torn or faded wallpaper Unapproved wall paper, drawings, or crayon markings on walls
Carpet faded or worn thin from walking Holes, stains, or burns in carpet. Food stains, urine stains, and leaky fish tanks are never "normal".
Dirty or faded lamp or window shades Torn, stained, or missing lamp and window shades
Scuffed varnish on wood floors from regular use Chipped or gouged wood floors, or excessive scraps from pet nails
Dark patches on hardwood floors that have lost their finish over many years Water stains on wood floors and windowsills caused by windows being left open during rainstorms
Doors sticking from humidity Doors broken, or ripped off hinges
Warped cabinet doors that won’t close Sticky cabinets and interiors
Cracked window pane from faulty foundation or building settling Broken windows from action of the tenant or guests
Shower mold due to lack of proper ventilation Shower mold due to lack of regular cleanings
Loose grouting and bathroom tiles Missing or cracked bathroom tiles
Worn or scratched enamel in old bathtubs, sinks, or toilets Chipped and broken enamel in bathtubs and sinks
Rusty shower rod or worn varnish on plumbing fixtures Missing or bent shower rod or plumbing fixtures
Partially clogged sinks or drains caused by aging pipes Clogged sinks or drains due to any stoppage (hair, diapers, food, etc.), or improper use
Moderately dirty mini-blinds or curtains Missing or broken mini-blinds or curtain
Bathroom mirror beginning to “de-silver” (black spots) Mirrors caked with lipstick and makeup
Broken clothes dryer because the thermostat has given out Dryer that won’t turn at all because it’s been overloaded, or the lint trap was never cleaned out.
Worn gaskets on refrigerator doors Broken refrigerator shelf or dented front panels
Smelly garbage disposal Damaged disposal due to metal, glass, or stones being placed inside
Replacement of fluorescent lamps - or any light bulb designed to last for years of continuous use


HUD has a list (Appendix 5D) of various items, and their life expectancy:

Item Life Expectancy
Hot Water Heaters 10 years
Plush Carpeting 5 years
Air Conditioning Units 10 years
Ranges 20 years
Refrigerators 10 years
Interior Painting - Enamel 5 years
Interior Painting – Flat 3 years
Tiles/Linoleum 5 years
Window shades, screens, blinds 3 years (https://www.landlordology.com/normal-wear-and-tear/)

217 YEARS AND NO CHANGE IN OWNERSHIP NOT ALWAYS A GOOD THING

AND NOW A WORD FROM THOSE MOST AFFECTED

If you would like to read an interesting little magazine put out by the National Low Income Housing Coalition called TENANT TALK.

Nothing More To Lose

There comes a time in some people's lives, when fear paralyzes their every move, dominates their every thought and leads them into a place of complacency and conformity and that is ok. When fear around my housing situation first gripped me back when I was a young divorced, mother of two I just put my head down worked hard, followed all the rules and was very great full my two kids had a roof over their heads.

Until recently, if your income increased anywhere from $20 to $200 dollars you had to tell them and your rent went up accordingly. Now, I hear rumors of those who utilize Federal Housing Programs may find that some of them will be paying 35% of their income or perhaps their Home Choice Voucher like mine, is on the chopping block (click here to learn more). My rent has already gone up allegedly because of a mistake that was made, but it is funny the correction took me to 35% of my income for rent.

Affordablehousingonline.com has a very interesting take on what could become a reality in the world of government housing waiting lists. " However, it is impossible to know exactly what Trump plans to do as he has not mentioned Section 8 or other housing programs specifically. We hold out hope that he realizes that these programs are not being abused and help keep millions of hard working American families out of homelessness." The article goes on to say.

Hope, what is that? Anymore in my mind hope is just another fantasy just like waiting for my knight in shining armor to come and save me; at least where being a recipient of government housing is concerned.

"Families in every state could face rent increases that could total $300 a year or more (see Appendix 1)." The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities article brings a suspicion of truth to some of the rumors I have been hearing about people's rent are possibly going up to 50% of their income. The thought of this not only squashes any hope I might have coned myself into holding on to; confirming it would be cheaper and more reliable if I bought a

camper to live in. The loan payments would then be 25% of my income.

The National Low Income Housing Coalition reminds us, "Research shows that when people have a stable home that they can afford, they are better able to find employment, achieve economic mobility, age in place, perform better in school, and maintain improved health." 

The tenants in the United States are not the only ones facing the surge in rents; the BBC reports "While containing the cost to taxpayers, it leaves housing benefit vulnerable to becoming increasingly irrelevant with respect to its purpose - maintaining the affordability of adequate housing for those on low incomes."

When you have nothing to lose, fear is no longer a problem. Fear has become a motivator. I was afraid to speak up because I live on the crack of the floorboards that President Trump is prying up because he can just feel there is a quarter under there. The more he pries pulls and tugs the wider that crack gets and more people will find themselves falling through the cracks regardless of whether they speak up or not.

So before we all go free-falling here, Call your members of Congress and urge them to SUPPORT full funding for affordable housing programs and OPPOSE any proposals that increase rents and impose arbitrary, administratively burdensome and wasteful work requirements on federal housing assistance programs.