What is a schedule of condition?

A schedule of condition is a detailed photographic and written record of a property's condition at a fixed point in time, prepared by a chartered surveyor. It is the benchmark evidence that later determines what damage was — and was not — caused by building works, and what repair liability a tenant did — and did not — take on.

When you need a schedule of condition

• Party wall works — recorded before notifiable works begin, so damage claims can be settled on evidence rather than argument. See our party wall services.
• Commercial leases — appended to a lease to limit a tenant's repairing obligations to the documented condition, transforming the outcome of a future dilapidations claim.
• Construction and neighbouring works — protecting owners adjacent to demolition, basement or development sites.
• Disputes — where matters escalate, the schedule becomes core evidence, and our expert witness surveyors can rely on it in CPR Part 35 reports.

What's included

A systematic room-by-room and elevation-by-elevation record: dated photographs, written descriptions of every defect, crack and staining, and — where used for party wall or lease purposes — agreement and appending so both parties are bound by the same record.

Fees and timescales

Fees depend on the property's size and complexity and are quoted fixed in advance; most schedules are inspected and issued within a week. Get a fixed schedule of condition quote →