Desgaste por uso ordinario
fair wear and tear
Definition
Desgaste por uso ordinario is the deterioration that comes from living in a flat normally — faded paint, worn floor finish, tired seals. The LAU makes the landlord responsible for keeping the home habitable, while small repairs arising from ordinary use fall to the tenant.
Why it matters
Ordinary wear is not deductible from your deposit. A landlord who repaints a flat you lived in for four years and bills you for it is charging you for their own maintenance cycle.
Damage is different: a hole, a broken fitting, a stain that is not coming out. The honest test is whether the condition follows from normal use over the time you were there, not whether the flat looks brand new.
The grey zone — furnished flats especially — is where the check-in inventory earns its keep. Photographed at move-in and again at move-out, most arguments about which side of the line something falls on end quickly.
Where this comes up
Related terms
Sources
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