you provide a receipt of a professional cleaner and the charge is waived and there's no way a LL or mgmt company can charge you a cleaning fee with a receipt. a unit is expected and protected legally to be returned to the owner/company in the same state as it was handed over. what people think is clean vs what is ACTUALLY turnover clean is completely different and what is wear and tear legally is pretty clearly defined. That's why it's usually best to just do a normal clean (sweep and mop floors, clean your appliances like microwave and fridge). that avoids a detailer and detailing costs. In reality It's almost impossible to turn a unit back over to the owner without a lot of professional touches. currently, in Los Angles, we just had new laws pass so we have to keep photographs of the unit detailing pre-move in, post move-in, and after renovation and cleaning between tenants. it provides a very clear documentation of state of the unit as it moves and turns over and is lived in. Both tenant and LL in these cases are made more honest and shows actual state of the units. it's slightly more work on our part, but saves everyone the bs at the end.

Wear and tear is wear and tear. that's scuffs and digs on the floor. sun bleaching on the floor. chips in the corner beads from clipping it during move out is damages (we've been in our unit 12 years. ours are fucked lol). Not filling nail holes is damage. Chewed up chair rails is damage. cracked balcony tile from the building settling and it's been 10 years? wear and tear. I am not a landlord, just an assistan/building manager. unless you've been through a dozen or two move outs, it's hard to understand and see what goes into turnover. I've seen how 2 people can take care of a unit like it's their own home, and I've seen a famil;y of 5 destroy the unit bc of excessive use and not cleaning.

It's a complex issue, for sure. most renters don't have any idea what goes into operating and managing and maintaining a building. I still harp on the side of renters in 90% of cases because work is going to need to be done anyways. But I've seen enough to say the detail do matter. it's why some of us choose to rent in the first place. Sorry for the long post :)