As a tenant, managing property maintenance costs can be a daunting task. However, with the right information from a Pre-Lease Assessment and evidence from a Schedule of Condition, along with good planning and project management, you can ensure that your maintenance costs are kept to a minimum.
Pre-Lease Assessment
Before you start your tenancy, it’s important to get a thorough Pre-Lease Assessment of the property. This can help you to identify any potential problems or maintenance requirements that may arise during the course of the lease. An experienced Chartered Surveyor can carry out a detailed assessment of the property, which will include an inspection, measurement and evaluation of the condition of all of the building’s components.
This assessment should then be used to draw up a Schedule of Condition, which will list all of the building’s components and their condition. This document should be used as a reference point throughout the course of the tenancy and can prove very valuable at the end of the lease term to evidence the original condition of the property to defend dilapidations claims.
Project Management
Once you have the Pre-Lease Assessment and Schedule of Condition, you can start planning for any work that needs to be done. It is important to ensure that the work is planned and managed effectively, as this will help to keep costs to a minimum. An experienced Chartered Surveyor can help you to plan and manage the project, ensuring that the work is completed efficiently and within budget.
Planned Preventative Maintenance
As well as carrying out any necessary repair work, it’s also important to put in place a planned preventative maintenance programme. This will help to ensure that any problems are identified and rectified before they become more serious and expensive to fix. An experienced Chartered Building Surveyor can help you to identify potential problems and put in place a regular maintenance programme to ensure that the property is kept in good condition throughout the tenancy.
Dilapidations Advice
Finally, it’s a good idea to seek dilapidations advice at an early stage – ideally at least six months before the end of the lease. This will help to ensure that you don’t face an unexpected bill when exiting the property. A Chartered Surveyor can help to identify any potential problems and advise on the best course of action to ensure that any dilapidations costs are kept to a minimum.
By following the advice outlined above, you can help to manage your property maintenance costs effectively and ensure that your tenancy is as hassle-free as possible.
To speak to our experienced Chartered Building Surveyors about obtaining specific advice, such as a Pre-Lease Assessment, a Schedule of Condition, Planned Preventative Maintenance advice or Dilapidations advice, please get in touch.
