Advice · updated November 2026
End-of-lease dilapidations: a guide for tenants
Dilapidations are the repairs and reinstatement a commercial tenant owes the landlord at the end of a lease. Deal with them early and you keep control of the cost.
How it works
Near the end of the lease the landlord's surveyor inspects the unit and sends a schedule of dilapidations. It lists where they say the lease has been breached, the work needed and usually a cost.
What is normally covered
- Repairs to anything you were responsible for
- Redecoration
- Reinstatement: removing your partitions, signage and alterations
- Sometimes fees and loss of rent
Your two options
You can do the work before the lease ends, using your own contractor and controlling the price. Or you can agree a cash settlement with the landlord instead. Which is better depends on the schedule, the time left and what the landlord plans to do with the building.
Get advice early
A building surveyor acting for you can challenge items that are not justified and negotiate the figure. In England and Wales the law limits a landlord's claim for disrepair to the loss in the property's value, which can reduce it sharply if the landlord plans to redevelop. A contractor's costed price for the work gives your surveyor hard numbers to negotiate with.
This guide is general information, not legal or professional advice. Check your own situation with a qualified adviser.
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