Commercial survey guides, costs and jargon, explained.
Practical, well-sourced guides for tenants, landlords and buyers navigating commercial surveys, leases and dilapidations across the UK.
Terminal vs Interim Dilapidations: What’s the Difference?
Terminal dilapidations are dealt with at lease end; interim during the term. The remedies and tactics differ. Here is what separates them.
Section 18 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1927: The Dilapidations Cap, Explained
Section 18 caps a landlord's dilapidations damages at the drop in the property's value, which can be far less than the cost of the works. Here's how it works.
Commercial Building Survey vs Valuation: Which Do You Need Before Buying?
A survey tells you the building’s condition; a valuation tells a lender what it is worth. They answer different questions, and buyers often need both.
Received a Schedule of Dilapidations? A Tenant’s Step-by-Step Response Guide
Received a Schedule of Dilapidations? Don’t panic, and don’t ignore it. Here is the step-by-step of what it is, your window to respond, and how to reduce it.
Dilapidations Explained: The 56-Day Protocol, Scott Schedule and Your Options
At lease end, landlords serve a Schedule of Dilapidations and a quantified demand. The Pre-Action Protocol sets the timetable. Here’s how it works and how to respond.
Dilapidations Claim Costs: How Much Could You Pay at Lease End?
Dilapidations claims can run into tens of thousands, but the opening figure is a negotiating position, not a bill. Here is what drives the cost and how it comes down.
Planned vs Reactive Maintenance: The True Cost of Waiting for Things to Fail
Reactive repairs cost more, every time. Here is the true cost of waiting for things to fail, and why a planned maintenance plan pays back across a portfolio.
How Much Does a Schedule of Condition Survey Cost in 2026?
A Schedule of Condition typically costs from a few hundred to a couple of thousand pounds, but it caps a dilapidations bill that can run to tens of thousands. Here's what drives the price.
What Does a Commercial Building Survey Cover? Structure, Fabric and Services
A commercial building survey covers structure, roof, fabric, services and defects. Here is exactly what a surveyor inspects and what the report gives you.
FRI Leases Explained: Why Tenants Need a Schedule of Condition
On an FRI lease you are on the hook to repair and hand back the property in good order, whatever its state when you moved in. A Schedule of Condition is how you cap that.
Pre-Purchase Due Diligence: The Commercial Property Buyer’s Checklist
Buying commercial property? A survey is one part of due diligence. Here is the buyer’s checklist, from condition and services to compliance and legal.
Commercial Building Survey Cost: What Drives the Price in 2026
A commercial building survey is scoped to the building, so cost varies widely. Here is what drives the price in 2026, and why it is cheap next to the wrong building.
Schedule of Condition vs Dilapidations: How One Prevents the Other
A Schedule of Condition is made at the start of a lease; dilapidations are argued at the end. Get the first right and the second is far smaller.
Party Wall Schedule of Condition: Recording a Neighbour’s Property Before Works
Before works near a party wall, a Schedule of Condition records the neighbour’s property so any later damage claim can be judged fairly. Here is how it works.
PPM Surveys Explained: Building a 5–10 Year Forward Maintenance Plan
A PPM survey turns reactive repairs into a costed 5–10 year plan. Here is what it covers, what the schedule contains, and who needs one.