RICS reissued the 7th edition of Dilapidations in England and Wales, first published in 2016 as a guidance note, as an RICS professional standard. The content was materially unchanged, but RICS members acting in dilapidations, for landlords or tenants, were now required to comply with its mandatory requirements.
Who the surveyor works for, and who they answer to
A surveyor preparing a schedule, a Quantified Demand or a response acts for one side. The standard makes clear that this does not allow claims that cannot be supported. Each item must be justified by the lease, evidenced, and costed realistically. Surveyors who sign documents in dilapidations are expected to stand behind what they say.
What the landlord will actually do
A theme that runs through the standard is the landlord’s real intentions for the premises. If the landlord plans to refurbish, redevelop or demolish, some of the work in a schedule may never be carried out, and the claim should reflect that. This links directly to the cap in section 18(1) of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1927, which limits damages to the diminution in the value of the landlord’s reversion.
Working with the Protocol
The standard sits alongside the Dilapidations Protocol, which the courts expect both parties to follow before a claim is issued. Together they push both sides towards an early, evidenced settlement.
What it means in practice
- For landlords: a claim that will survive scrutiny, built item by item, with the lease clause, the photograph and the cost for each.
- For tenants: a response that tests both liability and cost, and asks what the landlord really intends to do.
See our Dilapidations service, a £357,000 claim evidenced item by item, and a proportionate claim for a portfolio landlord.