Skip to main content

Schedules Of Condition

One of the services we provide for our commercial property clients at Dilapsolutions is the preparation of Schedules of Condition.

Commercial building with many windows

What Is A Schedule Of Condition?

A Schedule of Condition is a factual record detailing the condition of a commercial rental property on a particular date.

In most cases, the Schedule of Condition is prepared for legal (lease or contractual) reasons and can be very useful if there are any disputes, in particular, as a way of avoiding or reducing the issues in any future dilapidations claims under the terms of the lease. A Schedule of Condition can also ensure that any issues with a property are identified before signing up for a lease.

Schedules of Condition can be presented in a range of different forms, including photographic formats. This is known as a Photographic Schedule of Condition. A Full Schedule of Condition includes text, as well as photos and sometimes video.

What Are Schedules Of Condition Used For?

A Schedule of Condition can be prepared for a range of different reasons.

Three shops on the street

A Schedule of Condition can be used when a new lease is entered into, providing a detailed account of the premises’ condition before the lease starts. This means that any existing defects (as well as their repair costs) will be identified before the lease is signed. This guarantees a limit on a tenant’s liability for those repairs, and helps make clear the tenant and landlord’s responsibility to repair.

Schedules of Condition may also be used near the end of a lease. In these cases, they can help to establish responsibility for any dilapidations claim, repairing terms and reinstatement between the parties.

What Should Be Included?

There is no specific legal guide as to what a Schedule of Condition should contain.

Pedestrian walking in front of street shops

When preparing Schedules of Condition, some important elements to include are:

  • A clear statement about the purpose of the Schedule
  • A record of any pre-existing issues and their extent
  • Technical drawings
  • Clear details regarding the location and extent of the property and premises
  • A general description of the premises construction
  • Clear definitions of terms used to describe conditions in the property.
  • A clear statement of the time of the inspection, as well as what the date was, and weather condition
  • Photographs (these are some of the most important materials to be included). Videos as well as panoramas and drone footage can also be helpful
  • A written record of the location, nature and condition of each item inspected (inside and out)
  • Details regarding any specific tests taken on the property (for example, damp testing)

The Importance Of Photographs And Text

One of the most important parts of a Schedule of Condition is the photographic record.

Busy Store Front Sidewalk View

Photos must be clear in their depiction of the property. If a landlord, for example, is claiming that there are issues with the property, but photos taken beforehand are unclear in showing the actual state of the property then their value will be limited.

Photos alone are of limited value and use. Dilapsolutions has encountered several cases in which a property owner has taken plenty of photos of their building but have failed to provide descriptions. This means that only part of the issues are known, and other problems are in effect hidden.

The proper and combined use of both Photos and Text can give much greater weight to a Schedule of Condition.

How Does Dilapsolutions Deal With Schedules Of Condition?

Dilapsolutions’ expert chartered surveyor team is made up of professionals who can provide a full Schedule of Condition service, including:

  • Performing a full and thorough inspection of the building
  • Our chartered surveyors can provide a condition survey of all accessible areas of the property
  • Our chartered surveyors will document the property using photographs combined with text descriptions – vital when preparing a robust Schedule of Condition

Contact Our Chartered Building Surveyor Team Today

Dilapsolutions has many years’ experience preparing schedule of condition documents for both tenant and landlord clients. Our surveyors are experienced in taking high quality photographs and writing up clear supporting text, as well as sharing their wealth of industry knowledge and expertise with clients.

Dilapsolutions

Chartered Surveyors

We are the only dilapidations consultancy in the UK & Ireland that provides both Chartered Building and Valuation Surveyors, ensuring the best results for our clients.

This site uses cookies to store information on your computer.

Some of these cookies are essential, while others help us to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used.

For more information visit our Privacy Statement