Schedule of Condition Archives

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Bradley-Mason LLP is a Chartered Building Surveying practice who offer the full range of Surveying, Building Consultancy and Project Management Services throughout the UK.

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Whether you are a landlord with property to let or a business about to enter into a lease agreement, a Schedule of Condition (SoC) is an important document designed to protect your interests. The document is typically prepared for legal and contractual reasons, both for residential and commercial properties.

A Schedule of Condition is generally included with a lease. It is drawn up prior to a new tenancy commencing, with the purpose of equipping both landlord and tenant with a record of the property’s state of repair before occupancy starts. Both parties have the opportunity to consult on the SoC to agree its findings and overall contents.

At Bradley-Mason, our expert team has many years’ experience of all aspects of commercial building surveying and building consultancy. We are routinely involved in preparing Schedules of Condition for inclusion within a lease or a party wall award, advising investors, landlords and tenants.

What does a Schedule of Condition contain?

A Schedule of Condition typically consists of a combination of written statements and photographic evidence to illustrate the surveyor’s findings. This is known as a full Schedule of Condition and offers ample scope for the surveyor to accurately describe the property’s state of repair.

The information is usually set out in a well-structured and easy-to-follow format:

Summary introduction specifying the purpose and scope of the Schedule
Brief description of the property being inspected, and details of its location
Any restrictions on the inspection
Date and weather conditions at the time of inspection
The purposes for which the Schedule may be relied upon
Relevant drawings of the property, identifying rooms
Written schedule of observations, detailing the condition of the property room by room
Accompanying photo and/or video evidence to showcase the surveyor’s findings
Mentions of the types of tests carried during the inspection
Definitions of the terms included within

The most important purpose of a full Schedule comprising both detailed photographs and text is to provide a fair, first-hand insight into the property’s condition. Whether the Schedule is prepared on behalf of a landlord or tenant, contractor or employer, the document is used to identify changes in the condition of the property that could be difficult to visualise without the assistance of detailed photographs and written descriptions.

What is a Schedule of Condition used for?

When a commercial or residential property is to be let, it is good practice for the lease to include a Schedule of Condition in order to document the general condition of the property at the outset of the lease term.

As a factual and impartial record of the state of the property at the beginning of the lease term, the Schedule acts as a benchmark against which the property’s condition can be assessed at a later date, serving as valuable evidence in case of landlord-tenant disputes.

A properly prepared Schedule of Condition can fulfil important functions to assist both landlords and tenants:

It can help protect both parties’ interests by outlining and enabling landlord and tenant to agree the condition of the property, including any repair work that might be needed, at the outset.
The Schedule, including any liability for repairs, are commonly referred to within the lease or tenancy agreement, which sets out the expectations of the tenant to maintain the property’s condition.
It can be used to establish and agree the tenant’s repairing obligations, including any obligations for reinstatement works, under the lease. That way, potential disputes and claims for damages during or after the lease term can be avoided.
On commercial leases, a SoC can act as an invaluable tool to help the tenant limit their liabilities and repairing obligations under the terms of the lease, particularly towards the end of the lease term when they may be facing dilapidations claims from the landlord.
At the end of the tenancy, and often also at specified intervals throughout the tenancy period, the landlord (or his representatives) has the right to inspect the property, using the SoC to determine whether any damage has been incurred since the Schedule was drawn up.

In the event of damages or repair to the property, both the tenant’s repairing obligations contained within the lease agreement and the Schedule of Condition can be referred to. As the Schedule of Condition acts as written and photographic evidence of the state of the property at the start of the lease term, it protects both landlord and tenant when it comes to determining who is responsible for repairs at the property.

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For more information about how a Schedule of Condition can help protect your interests as a landlord or tenant, or to discuss your specific requirements, please get in touch with our experienced team.

DISCLAIMER: This article is for general information only and not intended as advice. Each project has its own set of unique circumstances, all potential issues should be investigated by a surveyor on a case by case basis before making any decision.

What is cut edge corrosion?

Cut edge corrosion is a common defect that affects aging profiled metal roofs and is a defect we regularly find as building surveyors. From the factory, steel roof sheets are finished in a plastic based coating system which protects the steel from corrosion. The sheets are then cut into sizes to be transported and installed on site. This leaves exposed ends to the sheets which are not protected from the weather. Once the roof sheets are installed, end, mid and side laps of the sheets are susceptible to moisture which is able to track beneath the coating through capillary action, and then begin to corrode the exposed metal to the sheet ends and laps. This causes the coating to peel, further exposing the unprotected metal to the elements, this then corrodes, and the process repeats itself. If left untreated the condition of the affected roof sheets will continue to deteriorate and can eventually lead to corrosion through the surface, allowing water ingress.

How to repair / treat cut edge corrosion?

Cut edge corrosion could be prevented by treating the cut edges with a protective coating system when the roof is installed, however in practice, this rarely happens. Depending on the extent of corrosion, cut edge corrosion can be treated with a liquid coating system. Methodologies and products differ slightly from each manufacturer. However in essence the process involves removing the corrosion and treating with an anti-corrosion primer. For a mid-laps, a gun applied sealant or butyl tape will be applied to seal the joints. The final coating will then be brush or roller applied to protect the cut edges from further corrosion. Most manufacturers offer at least a 10 year guarantee, making it a more cost effective option than re-roofing, particularly where a Tenant may only have a limited term remaining on their Lease.

Cut edge corrosion and dilapidations

Cut edge corrosion defects to roof sheets are included in dilapidations claims quite often. A dilapidations claim at Lease end to treat and repair cut edge corrosion can be a costly item for the Tenant, even if they had a Schedule of Condition in place at the start of the Lease. This is because a Schedule of Condition alone does not protect the Tenant from the further natural deterioration of defects. Therefore, we always recommend that where cut edge corrosion is present at the start of a Lease that a Tenant should ask the Landlord to exclude liability for the further deterioration of the roof. Bradley-Mason LLP has a wealth of experience in dealing with dilapidations matters and producing Schedules of Condition, as well as specifying and project managing roof repair works on commercial buildings.

Category: Schedule of Condition