[HOAM Foreign Law Column] 04. Restoration & Cleaning Fees: How Much Should You Pay?

The Dilemma

"I'm moving out of my apartment in Seoul, and the landlord is demanding 800,000 KRW for professional cleaning and repainting the entire living room due to some minor scuffs. Can they force me to pay this?"

The Legal Principle: Natural Wear and Tear

Under Korean civil law and standard lease agreements, a tenant is obligated to return the property in its original state upon lease termination. However, natural wear and tear (such as slight wallpaper fading from sunlight, minor scuffs from furniture placement, or normal aging of fixtures) is entirely the landlord's responsibility as part of maintaining the property's value. Tenants are not liable for normal depreciation over time.

Cleaning Fees: Contract vs. Custom

Landlords frequently demand hefty "mandatory exit cleaning fees." Legally speaking:

1. If it's in the contract (Special Clause): If you explicitly agreed in a signed special clause (특약) to pay a fixed exit cleaning fee, you are bound by it.
2. If there is no clause: If the apartment is left in a reasonably clean, habitable condition, the landlord cannot arbitrarily impose cleaning fees or withhold your deposit for professional deep cleaning services.

How to Protect Your Deposit & Rights

1. Move-in Inspection: Take date-stamped photos and videos of every room, wall, and appliance before moving in. Report any existing damage immediately.
2. Move-out Documentation: Clean thoroughly upon departure and take high-resolution photos of all rooms to prove the condition you left them in.
3. Firm Rejection of Unfair Deductions: If the landlord attempts to deduct excessive amounts from your deposit without legal justification, present your evidence and refuse unreasonable charges.

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