Commercial leases usually require the  tenant to be  responsible for the condition of the building and to hand it back in compliance with lease covenants.   A schedule of dilapidations identifies the wants of repair to comply with the lease covenants.

A schedule of dilapidations identifies breaches of lease repair covenants.  It is usually prepared on behalf of the Landlord and can be served on a tenant at any time, although during the course of the lease there are limitations on what the tenant might need to comply with.

At the end of the lease, a Landlord will usually serve a terminal schedule of dilapidations identifying how the building should be left when the lease ends.  This might well include costs for the works required in the event the shortcomings are dealt with by payment of damages from tenant to landlord.  Again, there are rules as to what can be legitimately claimed for under the terms of property law.

Paul Ashton Ltd can prepare and negotiate schedules of dilapidations on behalf of the landlord or undertake negotiations on behalf of a tenant seeking to minimise its liability under the terms of the lease.