Normal wear and tear refers to the gradual deterioration that happens naturally from ordinary daily use over the course of a tenancy — things like minor scuffs on walls, worn carpet in high-traffic areas, faded paint, or small nail holes from hanging pictures. This kind of deterioration is expected and legally cannot be deducted from a tenant's security deposit, since it reflects normal living rather than tenant negligence or misuse. Tenant damage, by contrast, results from negligence, accidents, misuse, or neglect beyond what normal use would cause — things like large holes in walls, broken fixtures, stained or burned carpet, pet damage beyond normal shedding, or damage from failing to report a maintenance issue that then worsened. This category of damage can legally be deducted from the security deposit, provided the landlord documents it properly. The distinction isn't always perfectly clear-cut, which is why documentation matters enormously on both ends of a tenancy. A detailed move-in inspection with photos or video, compared against an equally detailed move-out inspection, gives the clearest evidence for distinguishing what changed during the tenancy and whether it falls into normal wear or actual damage. Without this baseline documentation, disputes over deposit deductions become much harder to resolve fairly and can lead to legal disputes. Landlords should also factor in the length of tenancy when evaluating wear — a carpet that's showing wear after a five-year tenancy reflects a different standard than the same wear after six months, since normal wear accumulates naturally over time. Being reasonable and consistent in applying this standard, backed by clear documentation, protects landlords from disputes while still allowing legitimate damage costs to be recovered from the deposit as intended.