An independent firm of RICS Building Surveyors and Valuation Surveyors, Brian Gale Surveyors have 25+ years of experience in dealing with residential and commercial property in London and the Home Counties including Surrey and Sussex.
Contact our expert team for pertinent, professional advice regarding a wide range of landlord and tenant services such as Lease Extensions, Schedules of Condition, Schedules of Dilapidations and Party Wall Awards.
WHAT IS A SCHEDULE OF CONDITION?
A Schedule of Condition report can be prepared for a residential or commercial building, to record the condition of the property at the point of Lease commencement, or when an existing Lease is assigned to a new Tenant. It is a factual ‘snapshot’ picture that can act as protection for both parties, Landlord and Tenant, with regard to possible future dilapidation claims when the Lease expires.
In practical terms, a Schedule of Condition provides a useful basis for negotiation of any sums payable by the Tenant at the end of the Lease term to settle damages in respect of dilapidations. Evidence recorded in a Schedule of Condition may indicate that the premises have been left in the required state, in which case there are no damages to pay. On the other hand, if the premises have been left in a significantly worse state, the Schedule of Condition provides strong evidence for the extent to which the damage can be attributed to the Tenant. While the Landlord may not be able to make a claim for the full repair cost, the Schedule of Condition will certainly inform the negotiations regarding the share paid by the Tenant.
SCHEDULE OF CONDITION PARTY WALL
A Schedule of Condition may also be required as part of a Party Wall Award. The Party Wall Act 1996 is a legal framework for preventing and resolving building disputes in relation to party walls, boundary walls and excavations near adjoining buildings. Considering the nature of the works affected by the Act, and the potential risks to the structural integrity of a neighbouring building, preparing a Schedule of Condition may be a worthwhile procedure. In this case, a Schedule of Condition acts as a record of an adjoining owner’s property, drawn up by an independent surveyor.
The Party Wall Act also includes provisions for the neighbouring owner to be compensated in the case where damage to their property has occurred as a result of building works carried out on behalf of the neighbour. A Schedule of Condition, then, can be used as evidence to both parties. It can help the adjoining owner to bring a claim under the Party Wall Act, and it can help protect the building owner from false claims being brought against him.
SCHEDULE OF CONDITION TEMPLATE
At Brian Gale Surveyors, we can prepare a Schedule of Condition (Schedule of Condition Template) to protect our client’s position, whether they are the Landlord or Tenant. Our professionally documented reports will be provided in text format, photographic format or a combination of both. Where necessary, we can add specialist input from external sources, appointed and managed by ourselves on your behalf.
Contact Us
For more information about our Schedule of Condition reports or any other services we offer in Greater London, Surrey, Sussex and beyond, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Brian Gale Surveyors’ offices are located on the Surrey/Sussex border and we can be reached on 01737 245947 or by emailing kelly@briangalesurveyors.com. Or, if you prefer, simply fill in the form below and we will get back to you as soon as we can.
