We arrived in Essex to survey a large warehouse where we were trying to help the tenant avoid a hefty dilapidation's bill before they moved onto another property. The trouble is that he was left with a high strength lease which was renewed automatically and he had no idea what was coming his way! - he was looking at a high cost exit!  

What we mean by a high strength lease is one that is worded very much in the landlords favour, the clauses were so onerous and shocking that they sent shivers down the tenant’s spine – sweet, warm tea and biscuits were naturally in order during our meeting. 

A dilapidation bill had been written by a Surveyor from a large company that was read along with the lease. This Surveyor had written into his Schedule of Dilapidations that the landlord wanted the tenant (our client) to pay costs solving the rising damp in the property ….. even though the dampness was there before our client moved in!

Alterations had been made to the property and these would make high cost items which would need reinstating. Multiple items were mentioned in the lease and the terming and wording used was particularly harsh.  We were surprised not to find certain clauses that we usually find in other leases to do with statutory regulations. With so many items listed in the Schedule and pushed by a high strength lease our Surveyors next job was to devise a strategy and action plan for the client (and one that the landlord would agree to)- this really  was a job for a dilapidations expert!