Ordinary aging vs. actual damage
Normal wear and tear is the ordinary, expected deterioration that happens to a home simply from living in it over time — and a landlord generally cannot deduct from your deposit to fix it. It is considered part of the cost of renting.
Examples of normal wear and tear often include minor scuffs and small nail holes, lightly worn or faded carpet and paint from ordinary use, and gently worn fixtures. These reflect a home being lived in normally, not abused.
By contrast, damage beyond normal wear and tear — which a landlord may deduct for — usually involves harm caused by carelessness, accidents, or misuse, such as large holes in walls, heavily stained or torn carpet, broken fixtures, or serious damage. The longer you lived there, the more ordinary wear is expected.
The line between the two is a frequent source of disputes, because landlords sometimes try to charge tenants for what is really normal aging. If your landlord deducted for things that look like ordinary wear rather than actual damage, a free, confidential review can help you understand whether the charges were proper.
This is general information about California tenant rights, not legal advice. Every situation is different.