One of the murkier parts of any bond inspection is walls. What counts as cleaning, what counts as fair wear and tear, and what counts as damage you have to pay for. Knowing the difference saves a lot of stress.
What is just cleaning
Light scuffs from furniture, bag straps, or shoes. Pencil marks from kids. Most smudges and dirt patches. These come off with sugar soap or a magic eraser. Spending 30 minutes per room with a wet cloth and a magic eraser will deal with most of it. This is your job before handover.
What is fair wear and tear
Faded paint after several years. Slight discolouration around light switches from regular use. Minor scuffs in high traffic areas like the hallway. These are not your problem. The agent cannot reasonably charge you for normal aging of the paintwork.
What is damage
Holes in walls from picture hooks (small) or shelving (large). Big paint scratches from moving furniture. Crayon, marker, or paint marks that do not come off with cleaning. Smoke staining from cigarettes. Water damage from leaks you did not report. These you have to fix or pay for.
Fixing small picture hook holes
Polyfilla or builder's filler from Bunnings (around $10). Apply with a small spatula, smooth flat, let it dry, sand back. Touch up paint if you have the colour match from the agent. For a typical 3-bedroom rental with 10-15 small holes, total cost about $20 and an hour of work.
Fixing big holes
If you put a real hole in the wall, you might be looking at a small plaster repair. Some are DIY-able with a plasterboard patch kit (around $40). Others need a tradie. A handyman in Perth charges $80 to $150 for a small patch and touch up.
Paint touch ups
If your lease started with white walls and you painted them lime green, you legally have to paint them back. If your lease started with walls that needed a fresh coat and they are now four years older, that is wear and tear. Always check the original PCR for the paint colour at start of tenancy.
The agent disputes
If the agent claims damage and you think it is wear and tear, you can dispute through the bond release process. Photos from your move-in PCR are gold. If you do not have them, you are in a weaker position. That is why the move-in photos matter so much.