What does a tenant pay for careless damage?
A tenant pays for careless damage up to four weeks' rent or the landlord's insurance excess, whichever is lower. For intentional damage, the landlord can ask for the full cost of repair or replacement.
The limit is firm
A landlord cannot ask for more than that limit for careless damage, and an insurance company cannot chase the tenant for it on the landlord's behalf. For tenants on income related rent, the limit uses four weeks' market rent.
Why landlord insurance matters
Without landlord insurance there is no excess, so the most a tenant pays for careless damage is four weeks' rent. Anything above that is the owner's cost.
Source: Tenancy Services, Damage and repairs, updated 16 April 2026. Checked 2 October 2026. Rules change, so check the current position with Tenancy Services before relying on this.
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