Dilapidations advice is critical for landlords and occupiers. To preserve asset value, minimise waste or deterioration, secure compensation, verify the validity and quantum of a claim or provide statutory protection.

Our expertise of complex MEP building services systems allows TFT’s engineers and consultants to work with your legal team and appointed building surveyor to understand lease obligations and identify a strategy for lease end. This will typically include repairing defective building services installations, reinstating modified systems and removing occupiers’ equipment.

In addition, our commercial dilapidation’s advice helps clients navigate health and safety, statutory and legislative implications, as well as technical obsolescence and improvement issues which may complicate a claim.

We simplify the dilapidations process and reduce the risk of delays and later disputes by working with landlords and occupiers prior to commencement.

This includes identifying and managing the completion of works to ensure that the building installations are in suitable condition for an incoming occupier and provide the building documentation that is required. We support occupiers by undertaking due diligence, prior to agreement for lease, to safeguard against inheriting an existing dilapidations liability, including understanding maintenance obligations and service charge, repairing and reinstatement liabilities to help manage overall expenditure during the lease period.

By addressing unexpected works, we can mitigate against extended periods of time before a building/demise is suitable for occupation, leading to loss of rent for the landlord and occupants incurring additional costs during their fit out.

In preparing for lease end, we allow potential liability to be considered in good time and budgeted for. This can include reviewing appropriate maintenance and statutory inspection records, outstanding defects, potential validation works and reinstatement works/costs.

Not all defects and reinstatement works can be identified by a visual inspection, which may only provide part of the story with regards to the condition and reliability of services plant items. We specify the testing and validation works that provide evidence of the state of repair, confirm actual works required and corroborate costs.

With a combination of technical engineering knowledge alongside an understanding of landlord and tenant law, we improve the transparency of dilapidations claims, as well as reducing settlement timescales, and making claim and reimbursement of costs more equitable.

Get in touch to find out how we can help you.