The short answer
In NSW you hand the home back as near as possible to how it was when you moved in, apart from fair wear and tear. Normal ageing, such as faded curtains or traffic marks on carpet, isn’t your cost. Damage you caused or allowed, such as burns, gouges or Blu-Tack marks, is yours to organise and pay for. Report plumbing, gas and electrical faults to the agent rather than fixing them.
Fair wear and tear or damage? NSW Fair Trading’s list
Show NSW Fair Trading’s 8 pairs
Straight from NSW Fair Trading. Use them as a guide for similar items; the condition report and your photos decide the detail.
| Item | Fair wear and tear | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Curtains | faded curtains or frayed cords | missing or torn curtains |
| Carpet | furniture indentations and traffic marks on the carpet | stains or burn marks on the carpet |
| Floors | scuffed up wooden floors | badly scratched or gouged wooden floors |
| Paint | faded, chipped or cracked paint | unapproved, poor quality paint job |
| Kitchen | worn kitchen benchtop | burns or cuts in benchtop |
| Doors and windows | loose hinges or handles on doors or windows and worn sliding tracks | broken glass |
| Water stains | water stains on carpet from rain through leaking roof or bad plumbing | water stains on carpet caused by overflowing bath or indoor pot plants |
| Walls | paint worn off wall near light switch | damage to paint caused by removing posters stuck with blu-tack or sticky tape |
Source: NSW Fair Trading, fair wear and tear versus damage, page dated 21 September 2026, checked 6 October 2026.
Before the final inspection
Get out your copy of the ingoing condition report and photos. NSW Fair Trading says the report is used at the end of a tenancy to check what is fair wear and tear and what might be damage you need to fix. Walk through room by room with this checklist and take your own time-stamped photos when you leave.
The outgoing condition report is filled in by you and the landlord or agent together, or after you’ve had a reasonable opportunity to be there. The home needs to be reasonably clean; the Tenants’ Union of NSW says that doesn’t mean spotless, and you don’t have to hire a professional cleaner.
Repairing damage before you leave
Damage you, a guest or a pet caused is yours to organise and pay for. Tell the agent what you plan to repair, and agree in writing if you’re unsure whether something needs fixing. Minor, non-structural repairs such as patching small holes in plaster walls, paint touch-ups, re-meshing a torn flyscreen or fixing a cupboard door can suit a handyman.
Faults with taps, toilets, power points, lights, ovens or smoke alarms are different: report them to the agent. That work needs a licensed plumber, electrician or gasfitter in NSW, and unless you caused the fault it’s the landlord’s repair. If a fault is serious, check whether it’s an urgent repair.
Getting your bond back
Claim your bond through Rental Bonds Online once you’ve moved out and returned the keys. A landlord or agent can claim for things such as unpaid rent, cleaning to the standard at the start of the tenancy, keys not returned and damage beyond fair wear and tear. If they claim without your agreement, they must give you the outgoing condition report and quotes, invoices or receipts within 7 days.
You’ll get a Notice of Claim by email and SMS with 14 days to respond. If you can’t agree, read NSW Fair Trading’s bond dispute steps, which cover NCAT and freezing the bond. A tenant who isn’t the perpetrator isn’t financially responsible for damage caused by domestic abuse, and it can’t be deducted from their bond. For free advice, the Southern Sydney Tenants Advice and Advocacy Service covers the Bankstown and Canterbury areas.
See also small repairs in a NSW rental home for permission before you drill or change fittings.
Questions about this tool
What is fair wear and tear in a NSW rental?
The normal ageing of a home from everyday use and time, such as faded curtains, traffic marks on carpet or paint worn near a light switch. NSW Fair Trading says the tenant is not responsible for fair wear and tear.
Do I have to fix damage before I move out?
You need to leave the home as near as possible to the condition it was in when you moved in, apart from fair wear and tear. NSW Fair Trading says tenants need to organise and pay for repairs for damage they caused or allowed. If you don’t, the landlord can claim the reasonable cost from the bond.
Sources and date checked
- NSW Fair Trading — fair wear and tear versus damage in rental properties
- NSW Fair Trading — rental property condition reports
- NSW Fair Trading — dealing with bond disputes for tenants
- NSW Fair Trading — Rental Bonds Online for tenants
- NSW Fair Trading — making changes to a rental property
- Tenants’ Union of NSW — Factsheet: Bond (updated February 2026)
- NSW Fair Trading — smoke alarms in a rental property
Information checked 6 October 2026. Guides explain the source’s published scope; a job needs its own assessment.