"With so many of us working from home, the pressure on rental properties has changed. Yet, the guidelines and expectations around wear and tear haven’t kept up"
- Sian Hemming-Metcalfe - Inventory Base
Remote work has changed how people use their homes, but rental regulations have yet to evolve. New data from Inventory Base reveals that furnishings and fixtures in rental properties are now wearing out 30% faster than they did before the pandemic.
Despite this, the rules around Fair, Wear and Tear remain anchored in a pre-COVID context. The impact is twofold: tenants risk unfair deductions, while landlords are burdened with rising maintenance costs.
Before the pandemic, only 26.7% of people reported doing any work from home over the previous 12 months. That figure has now climbed to an estimated 41% of the UK workforce. With people spending more time indoors, everyday use of carpets, sofas, walls and fittings has increased, accelerating their wear.
Inventory Base has estimated that the average lifespan of household items in rental properties has dropped by 30%. A medium-quality carpet, once expected to last eight years, can now be reasonably expected to last only 5.6 years. Similarly, a standard sofa's life expectancy has shrunk from eight to 5.6 years. The typical three-year cycle for painting and decorating high-use areas like hallways and stairs has now dropped to just 2.1 years.
This rise in wear is not the result of neglect or misuse. It reflects normal, modern use. Yet, under current standards, tenants can be penalised for damage that is simply part of everyday life. At the same time, landlords are absorbing the rising costs of more frequent replacements.
Tenants face paying for outdated rules
Inventory Base argues that the current Fair, Wear and Tear framework no longer reflects reality. The company warns that tenants are increasingly being charged for what is, in fact, natural deterioration from standard use.
To address this, Inventory Base’s new Whitepaper proposes several reforms to align regulations with contemporary living:
It recommends updating the Housing Act 1998 to redefine “normal use” in a way that includes remote work. This would align with proposed reforms under the Renters' Rights Bill, which is supported by Angela Rayner, who has called for "fairer possession grounds".
Tenancy deposit schemes are urged to revise depreciation schedules to reflect the increased use of home interiors when tenants work remotely. This would help clarify what counts as fair wear and tear in today’s rental market.
Courts are also encouraged to adopt a broader interpretation of “reasonable use” in tenancy disputes to take into account increased domestic usage.
Improved communication between landlords and tenants could also help avoid disputes. Inventory Base suggests that better transparency around the expected lifespan of furnishings, along with open dialogue about wear, would reduce friction. Tenants should feel able to raise concerns early, and landlords could be more upfront about maintenance timelines.
But landlords need protection, too
While the call for reform focuses on tenant protection, Inventory Base also recognises that landlords are feeling the financial strain of more frequent replacements.
The company estimates that the cost to a landlord for a medium-quality carpet with an eight-year lifespan was previously £138 per year. With the reduced lifespan of 5.6 years, that cost has risen to £196 per year, an increase of £59. A standard sofa, once costing £63 per year, now comes in at £89 – up £27. The annual cost of painting and decorating has jumped from £533 to £762, an increase of £229.
“Over the past few years, I’ve had countless conversations with landlords, inventory clerks, and property managers, all grappling with the same challenge: what exactly constitutes fair, wear and tear in today’s rental market?" comments Inventory Base operations director, Siân Hemming-Metcalfe. "With so many of us working from home, the pressure on rental properties has changed. Yet, the guidelines and expectations around wear and tear haven’t kept up. That disconnect is causing confusion, disputes, and unnecessary friction between landlords, tenants and ultimately, the property manager and inventory clerks who manage the dispute process.
She added, "At Inventory Base, we’re at the heart of these conversations. We see how the smallest details – like defining normal use versus damage – can create massive downstream issues. These aren’t confined to legal matters; they affect trust, relationships, and people’s livelihoods. Rental regulations need to catch up with reality. In my experience, when we get the basics right, such as clear guidance, open communication and fair expectations, everything else runs more smoothly.”
