Wisconsin Landlord Law Carpet Cleaning

In disputes over security deposits courts have often considered basic carpet cleaning to be part of normal wear and tear.

Wisconsin landlord law carpet cleaning.

In most cases landlords should not charge tenants for a standard carpet cleaning. Should the landlord choose to repair or replace the carpet anyway the tenant may be made to pay for the cost of the same. A lease may include a contractual provision requiring the tenant to pay for routine carpet cleaning. Atcp 134 06 3 c states that a landlord may not withhold from tenant s security deposit for routine painting or carpet cleaning where there is no unusual damage caused by tenant abuse madison general ordinance 32 07 14 forbids withholding for routine carpet cleaning in the city of madison.

If a tenant abuses or negligently damages the carpeting or walls in a way that requires repair replacement and or repainting the tenant may be at least partially liable for the damages though. Atcp 134 06 note note. Because routine carpet cleaning is not an obligation statutorily imposed on either the landlord or the tenant assigning this responsibility to a tenant through a contractual provision does not render a rental agreement void. Under wis admin code atcp 134 06 3 c landlords cannot withhold from a tenant s security deposit for normal wear tear even if included in a nonstandard rental provision.

Even if the lease includes the permitted provision the cost for routine carpet cleaning may not be collected by the landlord in advance because all prepayments in excess of one month s rent must be treated as security deposit. For example a landlord may not withhold from tenant s security deposit for routine painting or carpet cleaning where there is no unusual damage caused by tenant abuse. Atcp 134 06 note note. This means that a landlord cannot automatically deduct the cost of routine carpet cleaning from a tenant s security deposit unless the cleaning i.