Commercial

Pre-Lease Survey.

Get a detailed pre-lease survey report advising on the condition of the property you are looking to lease, expected remedial costs, and your dilapidations responsibilities.

What is a Pre-Lease Survey?

If you’re a business looking to take on the occupation of a building on a lease-hold basis you need an independent inspection of the property prior to signing your lease. A pre-lease survey is a detailed report that outlines the current condition of the premises, the dilapidations liabilities and repairs associated with it and the costs required to make the building fit to be occupied

As an incoming tenant, it is important to understand the responsibility – and potential costs – that you are taking on as part of your lease. The onus for undertaking maintenance and repairs to the property will usually lie with the tenant during the term of the lease and if a premise is in a poor state of repair initially, costs can quickly escalate. Having a Pre-lease Survey conducted by one of our expert, chartered surveyors can be a useful tool in negotiating better lease terms and understanding your liabilities, as we review your dilapidation liabilities and responsibilities for the property in relation to the lease.

We also advise that alongside a Pre-Lease Assessment, a Schedule of Condition can prove very valuable in documenting the condition of the property at the time of taking occupancy, protecting your interests and assets in the future.

What is Included in a Pre-Lease Survey?

A comprehensive inspection of the building fabric, externally and internally, including doors, windows, roofs, walls and more.

A jargon-free, report outlining any problems that require attention and your dilapidations liabilities in relation to the lease, that you can bring to the attention of the landlord.

Identify any major risks in the future if you were to purchase or make renovations to a Listed Building.

A dedicated surveyor who will provide expert advice and guidance to ensure that a reasonable and fair settlement is reached for you and the landlord.

A summary of the condition of the property, remedial advice and expected costs to allow you to negotiate any requirements for maintenance that will be required over the course of the lease.

Honest advice from a team of independent chartered surveyors who have your best interests at heart.

Why Choose Our Team?

From offices to retail units, industrial sites to hotels, our team of expert chartered surveyors have worked with a wide range of properties over the years, so they have the knowledge and experience to offer you a quality, tailored service that has the best interest of you and your property at the forefront of everything we do.

We understand that purchasing, leasing or investing in a property can be a stressful time so we’ve revolutionised the traditional surveying model to make it as simple and straightforward as possible. To find out more about the services we offer at Fourth Wall, book a free, no-obligation consultation with our chartered surveyors.

Pre Lease Survey FAQs

Browse some of the common questions that our team are asked when it comes to choosing the survey that’s right for you.

Do I Have to Have a Pre-Lease Survey For a Property?

Although it is not a legal requirement for entering a lease agreement, we strongly encourage you to have a pre-lease survey done prior to signing. You should be satisfied with the condition of your property and your dilapidations liabilities before purchasing to ensure that you are getting the best property for the best possible agreement.

How Long Does a Pre-Lease Survey Take?

This depends on the state and size of the property, typically however a pre-lease survey can take anywhere between from two to eight hours to inspect, and then we’ll start on writing your report. If the property has more extensive damage, is older, or is very large, this may impact the time take to inspect and report on the property.

Why Would You Have a Pre-Lease Survey?

Pre-lease surveys are a great way to give the prospective tenant knowledge of the condition of the property before entering into an agreement. It helps give you the expertise to negotiate with the landlord the conditions of the lease and if any repairs are required prior to or during the lease. It will also help you understand your dilapidations responsibilities and liabilities to help ensure that you are not held responsible for extensive and costly repairs in the future.

If I Have a Pre-Lease Survey, Do I Also Need a Schedule of Condition?

A pre-lease survey and a schedule of condition go hand in hand. Whilst the pre-lease survey will advise on the condition of the property and your responsibility and dilapidations liabilities in relation to the lease, a photographic schedule of condition will extensively document the condition of all internal and external areas of the building fabric. This will be essential when it comes to leaving your lease and any dilapidations negotiations you enter into.

What Our Clients Say.

We could tell you how great our team and services are, but that would be too easy. Why not take a look at what some of our previous clients have said?

“Fantastic report with great technical detail. We recently had a building survey conducted on a property by another surveyor and the report provided by Fourth Wall was leagues ahead.”

– Robert Sykes

“High quality, clear and practical: Really useful report, very clear with helpful photographs and budget for repairs. They gave some really helpful extra insight on the phone post survey. Would recommend.”

– Rachel Morrison

“Great service, with a detailed final report for a good price. Everything was completed on time.”

– Thomas Worthington

“A detailed report was provided in a week. It was well presented, clearly laid out and each point colour coded. A pleasure to deal with. I would highly recommend and will definitely use their services again in the future.”

– R.C

“Our survey was as detailed as the sample one, yet it was easy to understand and explained exactly all the issues. I’d definitely use Fourth Wall again, if I needed to.”

– Louie Parkin

Ready to take the next steps?

Book Your Pre-Lease Survey

We’ve torn down the traditional, jargon-heavy surveying model to create a service suited to people like you to ensure you’re getting the best lease deal possible. If you’d like to have a chat with our team, feel free to complete the contact form below or contact us by phone or email and we’ll aim to get back to you shortly.

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