# How long is a carpet expected to last?

Source: https://tenancyvaults.co.uk/faqs/how-long-is-a-carpet-expected-to-last
By TenancyVaults (Run by a landlord in England) · Last checked 19 October 2026

## The short answer

A medium-quality carpet is expected to last 5 to 8 years at TDS, 5 to 10 years at DPS and up to 8 years at mydeposits, whose own cases use about five. Budget carpets last less and top-quality ones longer. A claim for a damaged carpet is reduced for the years it had already been used.

### Key points

- TDS gives a carpet 2 to 4 years at low quality, 5 to 8 at medium quality and 8 to 15 at top quality.
- DPS gives a carpet 3 to 5 years at budget quality, 5 to 10 at medium quality and up to 20 at top quality.
- mydeposits gives up to 5 years for a budget carpet, up to 8 for medium and up to 15 for top quality. Its fair wear and tear approach starts at five years.
- Without evidence of a carpet’s quality, a TDS adjudicator is likely to assume a medium-quality carpet.
- A carpet at or past the end of its expected life has little or no value left to claim, even if the tenant damaged it.

## How long does a carpet last in a rented property?

It depends on the carpet’s quality and where it’s laid. For a medium-quality carpet, the three deposit schemes in England and Wales give **5 to 10 years** between them. Each publishes its own figures, and an adjudicator (the scheme’s impartial decision-maker) works from their own scheme’s.

No law sets a carpet’s lifespan. The figures are guidelines the schemes use to judge how much value a carpet had left when the tenancy ended ([mydeposits](https://www.mydeposits.co.uk/content-hub/a-guide-on-the-life-expectancy-of-rental-property-products/)). Each case is still decided on its own evidence.

## What lifespan does each deposit scheme use for a carpet?

- **TDS:** low quality 2 to 4 years, medium 5 to 8, top quality 8 to 15 ([TDS](https://www.tenancydepositscheme.com/article/How-long-should-appliances-last-in-rented-homes-A-look-at-product-lifespans))
- **DPS:** budget 3 to 5 years, medium 5 to 10, top quality up to 20 ([DPS](https://www.depositprotection.com/learning-centre/disputes/common-dispute-questions))
- **mydeposits:** budget up to 5 years, medium up to 8, top quality up to 15 ([mydeposits](https://www.mydeposits.co.uk/content-hub/a-guide-on-the-life-expectancy-of-rental-property-products/))

TDS’s figures come from its Guide to Product Lifespans, produced with the NRLA. They assume a medium-quality item and average household use ([TDS](https://www.tenancydepositscheme.com/article/The-fair-wear-and-tear-lifespan-guide-When-is-an-appliance-officially-too-old-to-claim-for)). The table below gives each scheme’s figure for a medium-quality carpet and other common items.

**How long items last, by scheme**

| Item | TDS | DPS | mydeposits |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Carpet | 5–8 years | 5–10 years | up to 8 years |
| Laminate or vinyl flooring | 5–10 years | – | – |
| Hardwood flooring | 15–50 years | – | – |
| Paint and decoration | 3–5 years | 2–6 years, by room | 3–5 years, by room |
| Curtains | up to 10 years | – | – |
| Blinds | up to 8 years | – | – |
| Mattress | up to 8 years | – | up to 8 years |
| Bed frame | – | – | up to 5 years |
| Sofa | – | – | up to 8 years |
| Dining chairs | – | – | up to 7 years |
| Washing machine or tumble dryer | 6–8 years | 3–5 years | up to 7 years |
| Dishwasher | up to 10 years | – | – |
| Oven, cooker or hob | 9–15 years | 4–6 years | up to 10 years |
| Fridge or freezer | – | 5–8 years | up to 10 years |

From each scheme’s published guidance, checked 5 October 2026. The figures are for medium-quality items. A blank means the scheme gives none.

## Why does mydeposits give two figures for a medium carpet?

Its life expectancy guide says a medium-quality carpet lasts up to 8 years ([mydeposits](https://www.mydeposits.co.uk/content-hub/a-guide-on-the-life-expectancy-of-rental-property-products/)). Its fair wear and tear page says its consistent approach to the life of décor and carpet in a rented property **starts at five years**. That can change with the extent and quality of the evidence ([mydeposits](https://www.mydeposits.co.uk/content-hub/fair-wear-and-tear-what-is-it-and-how-is-it-applied/)).

Its own carpet case uses the lower figure. The adjudicator described the average life of a medium-quality carpet in a rented property as “around five years” ([mydeposits](https://www.mydeposits.co.uk/content-hub/deposit-dispute-case-study-fair-wear-and-tear-and-replacement-of-carpets/)). On a mydeposits case, it helps to show both figures and say which one your claim uses and why.

## How do the schemes reduce a carpet claim for age?

They allow only for the life the carpet had left. A tenancy deposit doesn’t pay new for old. Charging the full cost of a new carpet for an older one is betterment, which leaves the landlord better off at the tenant’s expense ([DPS](https://www.depositprotection.com/claims-and-disputes/what-makes-a-reasonable-deposit-claim)).

The schemes’ joint guide sets out the sum ([joint guide](https://www.mydeposits.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Deposits-disputes-and-damages-3008.pdf)):

1. Take the cost of a similar replacement carpet, for example **£500**.
2. Take the carpet’s age, for example **2 years**.
3. Take its expected life, for example **5 years**.
4. Subtract the age from the life to get the years left: **3 years**.
5. Divide the cost by the life to get a yearly value: **£100**.
6. Multiply the years left by the yearly value: **£300** is the share to claim.

DPS uses the same carpet example ([DPS](https://www.depositprotection.com/learning-centre/disputes/in-disputes-be-fair)), and TDS adjudicators apply the same method ([TDS](https://www.tenancydepositscheme.com/article/The-fair-wear-and-tear-lifespan-guide-When-is-an-appliance-officially-too-old-to-claim-for)). The joint guide adds that an adjudicator must reach a reasonable decision on the evidence, so the sum may not suit every case.

In one mydeposits case, a lounge carpet fitted two years before the tenancy ended was burned with an iron in two places. The adjudicator awarded **£195**, 60% of its **£325** replacement cost, after allowing two years’ wear ([mydeposits](https://www.mydeposits.co.uk/content-hub/deposit-dispute-case-study-fair-wear-and-tear-and-replacement-of-carpets/)). Sixty per cent is the share of a five-year life left after two years.

## What if the carpet was already past its expected lifespan?

Then there’s little or nothing left to claim for replacing it. TDS says an item at or past its expected lifespan is considered to have no remaining value, even if the tenant damaged it. A landlord can still claim the cost of removing and disposing of it ([TDS](https://www.tenancydepositscheme.com/article/The-fair-wear-and-tear-lifespan-guide-When-is-an-appliance-officially-too-old-to-claim-for)).

In the same mydeposits case, the stair, hallway and bedroom carpets got no award. They were worn at check-in, and after four years with a family of four they had reached the end of their natural life ([mydeposits](https://www.mydeposits.co.uk/content-hub/deposit-dispute-case-study-fair-wear-and-tear-and-replacement-of-carpets/)). That was one decision on its own evidence, not a rule.

## Do carpets on stairs and in hallways wear out faster?

Yes. TDS says a medium-quality carpet in a hallway or on stairs is expected to wear faster than the same carpet in a bedroom. Its adjudicators adjust the expected lifespan for where the carpet is laid ([TDS](https://www.tenancydepositscheme.com/article/The-fair-wear-and-tear-lifespan-guide-When-is-an-appliance-officially-too-old-to-claim-for)).

Normal use also counts as fair wear and tear. Carpets flattening along walkways is a typical example ([mydeposits](https://www.mydeposits.co.uk/content-hub/a-guide-on-the-life-expectancy-of-rental-property-products/)), and so is worn carpet in high-traffic areas ([TDS](https://www.tenancydepositscheme.com/article/How-long-should-appliances-last-in-rented-homes-A-look-at-product-lifespans)). Stains on a carpet go beyond that and are damage. The schemes also allow for the household: the number of occupants, children and pets all raise the wear to expect ([mydeposits](https://www.mydeposits.co.uk/content-hub/fair-wear-and-tear-what-is-it-and-how-is-it-applied/)).

## How do I prove a carpet’s age and quality?

Keep the fitting invoice. A carpet’s quality changes both its expected life and the cost of a like-for-like replacement. mydeposits asks whether a carpet cost £12.99 or £28.99 a square metre, and notes that inventories rarely record quality ([mydeposits](https://www.mydeposits.co.uk/content-hub/fair-wear-and-tear-what-is-it-and-how-is-it-applied/)). Photos can’t show it either.

Without evidence of quality, a TDS adjudicator is likely to base the sum on a medium-quality replacement ([TDS](https://custodial.tenancydepositscheme.com/public/support/1tds-guide-to-inventories-check-in-and-check-out-reports-v11.pdf)). For each carpet, gather:

- the fitting invoice or receipt, showing the date, the price and the quality
- a check-in report that records each carpet’s condition, and says if it was brand new
- a check-out report in the same terms, with dated photos of any damage
- a like-for-like quote or invoice for the replacement
- your working: the cost, the age, the expected life and the share you’re claiming

## Where next?

The [deposit deduction calculator](https://tenancyvaults.co.uk/deposit-deduction-calculator) works out a carpet’s share from its cost, its age and your scheme’s lifespan. The post on [charging a tenant for a damaged carpet](https://tenancyvaults.co.uk/blog/charging-tenant-for-carpet-damage) covers stains, burns and when a clean comes first. For the wider test, read [what fair wear and tear is](https://tenancyvaults.co.uk/faqs/what-is-fair-wear-and-tear). A [deposit dispute pack](https://tenancyvaults.co.uk/dispute-packs) suggests the share for each carpet from its age and your scheme’s figures, for you to check before you submit.

## Common questions

### Which lifespan figure will the adjudicator use?

The figures published by the scheme that protects the deposit. Your deposit protection certificate names the scheme. An adjudicator also adjusts for the carpet’s quality, where it was laid and the household, so give the evidence for each.

### Is a worn carpet fair wear and tear?

Usually, yes. Flattening along walkways and wear in high-traffic areas come from normal use. Stains, burns and tears are damage, which can be claimed, reduced for the carpet’s age.

### What if I don’t know how old the carpet is?

Look for anything dated: the fitting invoice, a previous check-in report that called it new, or an email with the fitter. Without evidence of its quality, a TDS adjudicator is likely to assume a medium-quality carpet.

### Can I claim the full cost of a new carpet if my tenant ruined it?

Only if the carpet was brand new, and even then the claim allows for the time it was used. Claiming the full cost of a replacement when the tenant lived there several years is betterment at DPS.

### Do the same carpet lifespans apply in Wales?

Each scheme publishes one set of lifespan figures, and TDS, DPS and mydeposits protect deposits in both England and Wales. The law around deposits differs in Wales, under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016, but the way a claim is reduced for age is the same.

## Sources

The facts on this page come from these official sources, checked on 19 October 2026.

1. [TDS: How long should appliances last in rented homes? A look at product lifespans](https://www.tenancydepositscheme.com/article/How-long-should-appliances-last-in-rented-homes-A-look-at-product-lifespans)
2. [TDS: The fair wear and tear lifespan guide](https://www.tenancydepositscheme.com/article/The-fair-wear-and-tear-lifespan-guide-When-is-an-appliance-officially-too-old-to-claim-for)
3. [TDS: Inventories, check-in and check-out reports](https://custodial.tenancydepositscheme.com/public/support/1tds-guide-to-inventories-check-in-and-check-out-reports-v11.pdf)
4. [DPS: Common dispute questions (lifespan table)](https://www.depositprotection.com/learning-centre/disputes/common-dispute-questions)
5. [DPS: In disputes, be fair](https://www.depositprotection.com/learning-centre/disputes/in-disputes-be-fair)
6. [DPS: What makes a reasonable deposit claim?](https://www.depositprotection.com/claims-and-disputes/what-makes-a-reasonable-deposit-claim)
7. [mydeposits: A guide on the life expectancy of rental property products](https://www.mydeposits.co.uk/content-hub/a-guide-on-the-life-expectancy-of-rental-property-products/)
8. [mydeposits: Fair wear and tear, what is it and how is it applied?](https://www.mydeposits.co.uk/content-hub/fair-wear-and-tear-what-is-it-and-how-is-it-applied/)
9. [mydeposits: Case study, fair wear and tear and replacement of carpets](https://www.mydeposits.co.uk/content-hub/deposit-dispute-case-study-fair-wear-and-tear-and-replacement-of-carpets/)
10. [Tenancy deposits, disputes and damages (TDS, DPS and mydeposits)](https://www.mydeposits.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Deposits-disputes-and-damages-3008.pdf)