Schedule of Condition London

Schedule of Condition

If you are about to sign a commercial lease and there is no schedule of condition in place, your liability at the end of that lease is unlimited. One document, prepared before you take possession, fixes that.

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Years of Experience

3000+

Happy Clients

2000+

Red Book Valuations

1000+

Surveys

25+

Years of Experience

What Is a Schedule of Condition?

A schedule of condition is a formal document that records the physical state of a commercial property at a specific point in time, typically at the start of a lease. It is prepared by a RICS chartered surveyor and supported by detailed photographs, written descriptions, and references to specific areas of the building.

Its purpose is simple. It creates a documented baseline. At the end of the lease, the property’s condition is compared against that baseline. If the property was already in poor repair when you took it on, you cannot be held responsible for returning it to a better state than you found it.

Without a schedule of condition, the tenant’s liability at lease end defaults to the full repairing standard set out in the lease, regardless of what condition the property was in at the start. That is a significant financial exposure that a single, well-prepared document can prevent.

WHY YOU NEED ONE

Why a Schedule of Condition Matters

For Tenants

You are taking on a property with existing wear, defects, or deterioration. Without a schedule of condition, your lease likely obliges you to return the property in full repair at the end of the term, regardless of its state when you moved in. A schedule of condition limits that liability to what you actually caused, not what was already there.

For Landlords

A schedule of condition gives you a clear, evidenced record of the property's state before occupation. If a tenant causes damage during the term that goes beyond fair wear and tear, you have documented proof to support a dilapidation claim. Without it, any claim you make is significantly harder to enforce.

When It Must Be Done

A schedule of condition must be prepared before the lease is signed and before the tenant takes possession. Once you are in, the opportunity to limit your liability at that baseline is gone. It cannot be done retrospectively and its absence at lease end will almost always work against the tenant.

WHAT THE REPORT COVERS

What the Report Covers

A schedule of condition prepared by Somerset & Sinclair will document the condition of all accessible parts of the building at the time of inspection. This typically includes:

External fabric: roof, walls, windows, doors, and drainage
Internal fabric: ceilings, floors, walls, partitions, and finishes
Services: visible condition of heating, plumbing, and electrical installations
Common areas where relevant to the demise
Photographic evidence cross-referenced to each element of the report

The report is structured to be used as a legal reference document. Every finding is indexed and photographically supported so that, at lease end, there is no ambiguity about what the baseline was.

Protect Your Position Before You Sign

A schedule of condition is one of the most cost-effective things a commercial tenant can do before taking on a lease. Once you have signed and taken possession, the opportunity is gone.

Independent. Chartered. Working for You.

independent of lenders and agents, and experienced across London’s period property stock.

Fully qualified MRICS surveyors — no junior staff
Independent — we work for you, not the bank or the agent
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All London boroughs and nationwide

Once your report is delivered, your surveyor is available to talk you through it. That’s part of the service.

FRICS & MRICS Surveyors

Full membership, not associate level

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Accepted by HMRC, courts and lenders

Professional indemnity insurance

Professional indemnity insurance on every instruction

What Our Clients Say

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a schedule of condition before signing a commercial lease?

Do not respond, agree to any works, or make any payment until you have independent advice from a RICS chartered surveyor. Dilapidation schedules are routinely overstated. Landlords and their surveyors prepare opening schedules that include every possible item of repair, reinstatement, and redecoration knowing that tenants without professional representation will often settle without challenge. Your first step is to instruct a surveyor to review the schedule against your actual lease obligations, assess the property’s condition, and identify which items are genuinely your liability and which can be challenged or removed. The difference between the opening claim and what you are actually obliged to pay can be substantial.

What happens if there is no schedule of condition at lease end?

Yes, and it needs to be done before you sign and take possession, not after. A schedule of condition is the only document that limits your repair liability at lease end to the condition the property was in when you took it on. Without it, your lease will typically require you to return the property in full repair regardless of its state at the start. For any commercial lease with a repair obligation, and most have one, a schedule of condition is not optional if you want to limit your exposure. The cost of preparing one is always significantly less than the dilapidation claims that arise when it is absent.

Who is responsible for arranging a schedule of condition?

Without a schedule of condition, your liability at lease end is assessed against the full repairing standard in your lease, not against the actual condition of the property when you moved in. This means a landlord can claim for repairs, redecoration, and reinstatement work that relates to deterioration that existed before your tenancy began. Dilapidation claims without a schedule of condition in place are consistently higher than those where one exists, because the tenant has no documented evidence to challenge what was already there. The absence of a schedule of condition at lease end almost always favours the landlord.

What does a schedule of condition include?

A schedule of condition is a detailed written and photographic record of every accessible part of the property at the time of inspection. This includes the external fabric of the building, internal walls, ceilings, floors, windows, doors, and the visible condition of services including heating and electrical installations. Each element is assessed, described, and photographed, with images cross-referenced to the written record. The completed document is then appended to the lease as a formal exhibit so it has legal standing throughout the term.

How much does a schedule of condition cost?

The fee depends on the size and complexity of the property. For a standard commercial unit, fees are typically modest relative to the liability they protect against. A schedule of condition that costs a few hundred pounds can directly limit a dilapidation claim that might otherwise run to tens of thousands. We provide a fixed fee quote before any instruction is placed so there are no surprises. Contact us with the property size and location and we will confirm a fee.

How long does a schedule of condition take?

An inspection can typically be arranged within a few days of instruction. The report is usually delivered within three to five working days of the inspection. If your lease start date is imminent, let us know when you get in touch and we will confirm whether the timescale is achievable. We will always be straightforward about what is realistic rather than agree to something we cannot deliver.

Does a schedule of condition apply to lease renewals?

Yes. If a lease is being renewed after an existing term, the condition of the property at the point of renewal is relevant to the new term. A fresh schedule of condition at renewal establishes a new baseline, which protects both parties going forward. This is particularly important where the existing lease had no schedule of condition at the start of the original term, or where the property’s condition has changed significantly during the term.

Do you prepare schedules of condition outside London?

Yes. We are based in Covent Garden, London, and prepare schedules of condition for commercial properties across London and nationally. Contact us with the property location and we will confirm coverage and availability.

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