A useful and robust tool for limiting the liability of a lease, on behalf of a tenant, is a Schedule of Condition. The schedule records the condition of the property at the outset of the lease. Providing the lease is correctly drafted, the schedule can be used to ensure the tenant does not have to put the property into any better condition than at the start of the term. This is often invaluable where the property being leased is not new and is already subject to a degree of wear and tear.
Conversely, the Schedule of Condition can help a landlord in the event a tenant taking a lease of a building in good repair and condition. The schedule can be the critical evidence to prove the good repair a property was let in and set the standard it should be returned.
Dabinett’s approach to schedule of conditions
With our extensive knowledge of dilapidations, we have a solid understanding of the detail required and the pitfalls often found in poorly drafted schedules.
Schedules can be tailored in detail to suit the property or budgets of the parties. The savings, in the long run, will almost always exceed the cost of compiling a Schedule of Condition.