The landlord of a commercial property aims to secure the legal responsibility of their tenant, who covers the expenses incurred for any property damages at their fault.
DILAPIDATIONS
A landlord will want to make the tenant responsible for rectifying any damage they cause. This is known as dilapidations.
Before signing the lease agreement, you want to hire a surveyor to produce a Schedule of Condition. This document will provide a record of the condition of the property.
Once the lease period is over it then becomes necessary to obtain a dilapidations survey in order to assess any damages or unauthorised changes that require restoration.
Tenants also have the right to hire their own surveyor to assess dilapidations and determine if the landlord’s request for repairs is fair and reasonable. Contact our team today and organise a dilapidations surveyor.
Frequently asked questions
How do you conduct a dilapidations survey?
Dilapidation surveys are usually initiated by landlords. They can also be beneficial for tenants in some situations.
During a dilapidations inspection a surveyor carefully examines the condition of the property room by room thoroughly assessing elements such as ceilings, walls, windows, doors, floors, electrical systems, radiators and more. Essentially every visible area of the property is inspected. The surveyor may also evaluate the condition of neighbouring properties to establish a comparison.
If there is a need to seek compensation from the tenant it is essential for a surveyor to prepare a Schedule of Dilapidations. This document details the damages. It also provides an estimate for repairs or renewals.
Please follow the Dilapidations Protocol.
What benefits do tenants gain from a dilapidations survey?
- Reduce expenses: considering that landlords can request reimbursement, for both losses and repair costs, it might be an idea to hire a surveyor to perform a dilapidations survey before your tenancy ends.
- Maintain control: addressing damages and reinstatement via the Schedule of Dilapidations gives you the flexibility to choose your own cheaper contractors instead of the more expensive contractors chosen by your landlord.
- Minimise conflicts: challenging a claim is time consuming and stressful. So, it would be wise to enlist the services of a surveyor for a dilapidations survey, which will help you fast-track resolution. Speaking of which, most disputes are resolved outside of court through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). Our team of surveyors is available to guide you through this process of facilitating agreements through determination, arbitration or mediation.
What are the costs?
Compensation requests should be based on the expenses of repairing any damage or measurable financial losses, such as fees for surveyors and third parties, and any loss of income or service charges incurred due to repairs damage to the property’s condition, etc.
Can landlords profit from tenants through dilapidations?
Landlords are not allowed to make money from their tenants through dilapidations. The property can only be restored to its original state; any improvements, beyond that are not included in this context. Alteration is not considered within these terms.
What benefits do landlords gain from a dilapidations survey?
- Ensure that your tenant fulfils their obligations: there is often a possibility that tenants may cause damage or make alterations to your property. In such cases you want to make sure that they are legally obligated to carry out the repairs or restorations so that you don't face unexpected expenses.
- Mitigate the risk of setbacks: including your tenant’s maintenance responsibilities in the lease agreement is vital. Failure to do so might limit your ability to seek compensation for damages when their tenancy ends.
- Document your property’s condition before leasing: do this before a tenant moves in. You will be armed with evidence of the original condition if disputes arise.