England · Deposit deductions

Can my landlord charge for nail holes and Blu-tack marks? (England)

It depends, and the deposit schemes admit it's subjective. A few small holes from hanging pictures with permission are easy to argue as normal use; dozens of holes or torn paint are not. The cheapest fix is usually to deal with them before you leave.

Short answer

Can go either way. Permission, number and size of holes, and the length of the tenancy all matter.

Best move

Ask before hanging things, and fill holes and remove Blu-tack before the check-out.

If charged

The charge should be for the repair, not a full repaint of the room.

Who must prove it

The landlord.

What the deposit schemes say

TDS says claims for "blu-tack marks, sticky tape or holes where nails, hooks or drawing pins have been used" are common, and that whether they count as damage or fair wear and tear "can be subjective". Its advice to tenants: agree with the landlord how you can hang things, or fix the marks and return the walls in the same condition before the tenancy ends.

What makes a charge fair

• Permission: if the landlord agreed to pictures or shelves, holes from them are much harder to charge for. Keep the message.
• Scale: a handful of picture-hook holes after two years is different from rawlplugs in every wall.
• The remedy: adjudicators choose the most appropriate remedy, usually filling and touching up, and the landlord can't end up better off than at the start.
• Existing holes: holes from the previous tenant aren't yours, but only if they're in the check-in report or your move-in photos.

Before you hand back the keys

• Remove hooks, fill small holes with filler, sand flat.
• Take off Blu-tack and tape gently, and clean any greasy marks.
• Photograph each wall afterwards, in good light.

A letter you can send

Copy this, fill in the brackets and send it by email so you have a dated record.

Dear [name],

You have proposed deducting [amount] for holes and marks on the walls at [address].

[I hung pictures with your agreement on (date) / The holes were already there at check-in.] Before I left, I [filled the holes and removed the Blu-tack marks]. My photos from [move-out date] show the walls afterwards.

Any charge must reflect the most appropriate remedy, such as filling and touching up, not redecorating the whole room, and must allow for fair wear and tear over a [length] tenancy.

Please return the full deposit, or send the check-out report with photos of each mark you are charging for and an itemised invoice.

Kind regards,
[name]

If your landlord won't move

Your deposit must be in a government-approved scheme (DPS, mydeposits or TDS), and each one has a free dispute service. An adjudicator decides on the written evidence from both sides. The deposit stays yours until the landlord proves the deduction. See the England and Wales guide for the deadlines and how to start a dispute.

Other common deductions in England

• End-of-tenancy cleaning
• Carpet cleaning
• Repainting
• Oven cleaning

Also useful: wear and tear or damage? · deposit deadline calculator · move-in photo checklist

Sources: TDS: deductions for decorations, hooks and Blu-tack · TDS, DPS and mydeposits: guide to deposits, disputes and damages · DPS: common dispute misconceptions. General information, not legal advice.