Commercial Dilapidations in London: What Landlords Get Wrong

Dilapidations are one of the most valuable, and most frequently mishandled, aspects of commercial lease management in London. When a lease ends, a landlord is entitled to compensation if the tenant has not maintained the property as the lease requires. The principle is straightforward, but the execution is where landlords routinely lose ground.

From the Section 18 cap and the timing of the Schedule of Dilapidations through to reinstatement obligations and the RICS Protocol, the same mistakes appear again and again across the London market, from City offices to industrial units in Park Royal. This guide sets out the six errors we see most often, and explains why each one matters.