Receiving a schedule of dilapidations does not necessarily mean that the amount initially claimed by a landlord is the final amount that the tenant will have to pay. Dilapidations claims can be negotiated where there is a genuine difference between the parties...
A Retrospective Licence for Alterations may be required where works have already been carried out to a leasehold property without obtaining the freeholder's required consent. This situation is relatively common and can become apparent when a property is being sold or...
A Schedule of Condition is commonly undertaken before Party Wall works commence to record the existing condition of an adjoining property. But what happens if the adjoining owner does not allow the Party Wall surveyor access? Why is access important? The Schedule of...
Method statements are frequently discussed during Party Wall procedures, particularly where the proposed works involve excavation, structural alterations or potentially disruptive construction. But what exactly can a Party Wall surveyor require? What is a method...
Technical Due Diligence is the process of investigating the physical and technical condition of a property so that a purchaser, investor or occupier can properly understand the building before becoming committed to the transaction. For many acquisitions, a detailed...
One of the first questions clients understandably ask when purchasing a commercial property is: How much does a Commercial Building Survey cost? There is no single answer. A small retail unit is very different to a multi-storey office, warehouse or mixed-use...
When taking a commercial lease, tenants understandably focus on the rent, location, lease length and whether the premises are suitable for their business. The physical condition of the property can sometimes become secondary. That can prove to be an expensive mistake....
Buying a commercial property can represent a significant financial commitment. The purchase price is only one part of that commitment. Roof replacement, structural repairs, water ingress, defective finishes, outdated services and historic maintenance issues can...
It is surprisingly common for leaseholders to discover that alterations carried out to their property did not receive the freeholder’s formal consent. Sometimes the works were completed by a previous owner. In other cases, the leaseholder may simply not have realised...
Disputing Land? Do You Need a Boundary Survey? Property boundaries are often assumed to be obvious. A fence, wall or hedge may appear to show exactly where one property ends and another begins. Unfortunately, it is not always that simple. A boundary survey may be...
