SORA RENTAL NOTE · 14
Do I have to pay for wallpaper and cleaning when I move out?
Understand ordinary wear, tenant damage and cleaning agreements in Korean student rentals, and check the basis for deductions from your security deposit.
Content checked · 3 October 2026
The key points
- Restoration does not automatically mean returning a brand-new room.
- Separate ordinary wear, tenant damage and agreed cleaning fees.
- Compare move-in photos with itemized proposed deductions.
01 — 04
Start with the comic
I’m being charged for all the wallpaper and cleaning.
Let’s separate normal aging from damage you caused.
I have move-in photos and a cleaning clause. Can we check them?
Check each charge and its basis. Record the settlement you agree on.
1. Restoration is not automatic replacement with new items
- Age and wear
- Cause of damage
- Condition photos
Articles 615 and 654 of Korea’s Civil Act establish a tenant’s restoration duty when returning the property. However, distinguish ordinary wear from normal use, damage attributable to the tenant and defects already present at move-in.
A 2007 Seoul Central District Court decision treated ordinary wear as the landlord’s cost unless specifically agreed otherwise. Naturally faded wallpaper and wallpaper you tore therefore need different assessment. This does not mean every wallpaper clause is invalid.
2. Read restoration and cleaning terms separately
- Restoration work
- Cleaning charge
- Contract terms
A general instruction to restore the room does not automatically allocate all aging to the tenant. Check whether there was a clear, specific agreement covering ordinary wear and what was explained. For actual damage, compare the affected area with the proposed repair.
Check whether cleaning was agreed as a fixed fee or reimbursement of actual costs. A clear fixed-fee agreement does not automatically disappear because you cleaned carefully. If an unexpected fee appears only at checkout, ask for its contractual or other basis.
3. Ask for itemized deposit deductions
- Condition photos
- Itemized estimate
- Deposit deductions
Instead of accepting only a total, request the location of damage, reason for charging, proposed work and amount. Compare move-in and move-out photos, the lease and any estimate or receipt. This helps identify old damage and whether local repair or full replacement is being proposed.
If possible, inspect together after your belongings are removed. Keep cleaning and damage charges separate. Record any disputed item and your reasons by message; do not rush to sign a document accepting deductions you have not agreed to.
What to check
- Find move-in photos and messages documenting existing defects.
- Check wallpaper, restoration and cleaning terms separately.
- Photograph the empty room and arrange a joint inspection if possible.
- Request itemized evidence and save the agreed settlement.
Common questions
Must I pay because the next tenant wants new wallpaper?
Their preference alone does not decide your liability. Check attributable damage and any specific agreement to replace the wallpaper.
Can I avoid a fixed cleaning fee by cleaning myself?
It depends on the agreement. Ask in advance whether your own cleaning can replace the agreed paid service; do not assume automatic exemption.
Official sources
These laws and public-agency materials concern renting in Korea. Source documents are mainly in Korean.
- Korean Civil Act Articles 615 (restoration and removal of installations) and 654 (application to leases) ↗
- Seoul Central District Court, 31 May 2007, 2005가합100279 / 2006가합62053: Ordinary wear and restoration agreements ↗
- Supreme Court of Korea, 2 November 2023, 2023다249661: Scope of restoration duties ↗