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Spotting the Difference Between Fair Wear and Pet Damage During a Mid-Tenancy Visit

With pet-friendly tenancies becoming the norm across the UK rental market, seeing a four-legged resident during property visits is far more common nowadays. While pets bring plenty of joy to a home, they can also leave behind a bit of extra wear. The trick for landlords and letting agents is knowing where normal daily living ends and genuine pet damage begins.

The sooner these problems can be identified, the better, and completing a mid-tenancy report provides the ideal time frame for doing so before little scratches become big headaches at the end of the tenancy.

Fair Wear and Tear vs. Pet Damage: Spotting the Line

It may not be an easy task to discern the difference between ordinary wear and tear and pet damage, but by taking note of certain characteristics, the difference becomes a lot more evident:

• Floors and Carpets: Carpet pile flattening on floors that receive a lot of traffic is fair wear and tear. However, carpet fibres that are frayed at the edges near door frames, torn threads, and distinct dark stains coupled with smells mean pet damage.
• Skirting Boards and Joinery: Minor scuffs on timber from vacuum cleaners or shoes are completely normal. Deep gouges, splintered corner edges on door frames, or chew marks on skirtings point directly to pet damage.
• Walls and Soft Furnishings: Faded paintwork or tiny furniture rubs happen in every home. Muddy paw prints smeared along walls, deep scratch lines on plasterwork, or shredded curtains are not classed as fair wear.
• Outdoor Spaces: A slightly patchier lawn from seasonal changes is expected. Deep holes dug throughout flowerbeds or large dead or ultra-green patches caused by pet urine and faeces require attention.

Documenting Your Findings Fairly

When you discover possible pet damage while doing an inspection, accurate and objective documentation is very important. Instead of describing pet damage, write the specifics in your report, like where the scratches happened, how high and deep they are, or the exact place of the stained carpet.

Utilising our mid-tenancy report tool in the Reports2Go mobile application lets you do instant and accurate documentation of such findings. Take high-quality photos, dictate detailed notes with our Audio Mode, and bundle several maintenance flags at once to help you communicate quickly with your tenant and protect your asset.

Streamline Your Property Inspections

Want to make your mid-tenancy inspections easier and more efficient? Download our app for free or schedule a demo to learn about our advanced dictation and survey tools.

Dan, 10 August 2026