New Brunswick renting guide

Wear and tear, cleaning, and moving out in New Brunswick

You pay for damage you cause, the landlord covers normal wear and tear. When you leave, the unit has to be reasonably clean, not professionally spotless, and a landlord cannot keep your deposit for ordinary aging.

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What counts as normal wear and tear when I move out in New Brunswick?

For tenants

The line is about cause, not how bad it looks. You are responsible for damage you or your guests cause on purpose or through carelessness, like holes, burns, or stains. Normal wear and tear, the natural aging from ordinary use like faded paint or worn carpet, is the landlord's cost, not yours. When you move out, you have to leave the place reasonably clean and fix any damage you caused, but the standard is ordinary cleanliness, not professional cleaning, and a landlord cannot charge a flat cleaning fee. If they want to claim against your deposit, they have to file within seven days, prove the damage, and an officer decides, you do not just lose it.

For landlords

You can claim the deposit for a tenant's failure to keep the place reasonably clean or for damage they caused, but not for normal wear and tear, that is your own cost. The standard is ordinary cleanliness, you cannot require professional cleaning or charge a separate cleaning fee. File any claim within seven days of the tenancy ending, itemize it, and back it with evidence, the burden of proof is on you. A signed move-in and move-out inspection with photos is your best proof.

The key facts

Damage you caused: Your cost
Normal wear and tear: The landlord's cost
Move-out standard: Reasonably clean, not professional
Flat cleaning fee: Not allowed
Who decides a deposit claim: An officer, on the evidence

Common questions

What counts as normal wear and tear versus damage I have to pay for?

Wear and tear is the natural aging from ordinary use, like faded paint, lightly worn carpet, or minor scuffs, and that is the landlord's cost. Damage is something you or a guest caused carelessly or on purpose, like holes, burns, or stains, and that is on you. An officer decides borderline cases.

Does my landlord need the place professionally cleaned, or can they charge a cleaning fee?

No. The standard is ordinary, reasonable cleanliness, not professional cleaning, and a landlord cannot charge a flat cleaning fee. They can claim the deposit if you leave it genuinely unclean or damaged, but they have to prove it and an officer decides.