Security Deposit Deductions for Blinds & Window Coverings
Blinds, shades, and screens wear out quickly and sun-damage on their own, so their chargeable value drops fast.
Normal wear — not chargeable
Sun fading, brittleness, and the gradual failure of the lift mechanism are normal wear.
Damage — chargeable
Bent slats, snapped cords from misuse, pet chewing, and missing blinds are chargeable, prorated by a 3–5 year life.
Worked example
Cost to fix: $200 · Useful life: 3 years · Age at move-out: 2 years · Life remaining: 33%. Typically chargeable: $67 — not the full $200.
Because the life is short, blinds more than a few years old often prorate down to very little.
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Continue to deposit letter →The unit turn calculator costs the whole make-ready — materials and labor, trade by trade — so you can see what is chargeable and what is not.
Open the unit turn calculator →More items: carpet · paint · appliances · pet damage
Then: Condition Report · Unit Turn Calculator · Deposit Return Letter
Useful-life figures reference the HUD life-expectancy chart, an industry standard rather than statute. This is general information, not legal advice. Confirm your state's rules before sending a deduction statement.
Questions people ask
- Can a landlord charge for damaged blinds?
- Bent slats, snapped cords from misuse, pet chewing, and missing blinds are chargeable, prorated by a 3–5 year life. The useful life commonly assigned to blinds is 3–5 years, so the charge is prorated by how much of it remained.
- What counts as normal wear here?
- Sun fading, brittleness, and the gradual failure of the lift mechanism are normal wear.
- How is the chargeable amount calculated?
- Multiply the cost by the share of useful life remaining. Example: $200 at 2 years old on a 3-year life leaves 33%, so about $67 is typically chargeable.