Devonshire House, London

We had the opportunity to work with SGL Surveyors on a significant commercial office dilapidations project. Our client, the tenant of two large floors within the building, had been served a dilapidations claim by the landlord. Our role was to defend the tenant’s position and provide a detailed response to the landlord’s claim, addressing each item individually, with the goal of reducing our client’s financial liability.

Through our careful and comprehensive approach, we identified several items that were not documented in the lease or license to alter agreements, which could be contested. By thoroughly reviewing on-site manuals and related documentation, we were able to uncover critical information that strengthened our defence. This allowed us to develop a robust, well-supported response to the landlord, effectively protecting our client’s interests.

As part of their overall strategy to mitigate and reduce liability, our client chose to pursue a tender exercise to obtain competitive market prices. Our team took the lead in preparing a comprehensive technical tender pack and a detailed specification for the works outlined in the dilapidations claim. These documents allowed contractors to provide accurate pricing in the open market.

Leveraging our team’s expertise in dilapidations and extensive experience in design and specification, we translated this strategy into an actionable solution. This approach ensured that our client was well-positioned to achieve the best possible outcome, further reducing their liability to the landlord.