Dilapidations is one of the most contested areas of commercial property, and in a city of older and historic buildings the issues can be more involved than most. Bressummer A.R.K. are RICS chartered building surveyors based on the edge of the city at Hursley, providing specialist dilapidations consultancy across Winchester and Hampshire. We act for commercial landlords and tenants alike, though never both on the same claim, combining genuine local knowledge of the city’s building stock with senior chartered expertise.

What are dilapidations?

Dilapidations are breaches of a commercial tenant’s obligations to repair, decorate and reinstate a property under their lease. At or near lease end, the landlord typically prepares a schedule of dilapidations setting out the alleged breaches and the cost of remedying them, and seeks to recover that sum from the tenant. Much Winchester commercial property is older, period or listed and held on full repairing and insuring (FRI) terms, and the cost of properly repairing or reinstating historic fabric can be considerable, which makes dilapidations a particularly significant issue here. The gap between an opening claim and a fair settlement is often substantial, which is exactly why expert, locally informed advice matters.

How much does a dilapidations surveyor cost in Winchester?

Whether we are acting for commercial tenants reviewing a claim from a Landlord or acting for commercial landlords putting together a dilapidations schedule, our fees are typically linked to size of the property.

Our fees for these initial steps in the dilapidations process are outlined below.

Property Size (sq ft) Estimated Fees (exclusive of VAT)
Under 1,000 < £1,200
1,000 – 2,000 £1,200 – £1,500
2,000 – 5,000 £1,500 – £2,000
5,000 – 10,000 £2,000 – £3,000
10,000 + £3,000+

For negotiating claims for Landlords and Tenants we base our fees on either a percentage, linked to the final agreed settlement, or hourly rates of £175 per hour (plus VAT) .

All our fees are fully inclusive of travel, office and disbursement costs in order to carry out our services, with no ‘hidden extras’.

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Tenant Focused Dilapidation Services

How we help Winchester Tenants

If you are a commercial tenant facing a dilapidations claim, you need a surveyor working solely to reduce your liability. Opening claims are frequently overstated, and on older buildings landlords sometimes seek to fund the restoration of historic fabric beyond what the lease requires. We assess the claim against your lease and the evidence, remove anything that is not your responsibility, and negotiate firmly to a fair settlement, including standing up to the large corporate firms behind many claims. To find out more, see our dedicated tenant dilapidations page for Winchester.

Facing a claim? See our tenant dilapidations service
Chartered building surveyor meeting with their client in Andover

Excellent Service! We recently engaged with Bressummer to manage the dilapidation process and carry out a full surveyor’s survey for the office premises we were vacating. Their service was excellent from start to finish—thorough, transparent, and highly efficient. Harjit guided us through each stage, provided clear advice, and ultimately helped reduce our dilapidation costs. I highly recommend them for anyone needing expert support with commercial property dilapidations.

Julie - Aion Silicon

Landlord focused dilapidation services

How we help Winchester landlords

If you are a commercial landlord or investor, a well-prepared dilapidations claim protects the value of your asset and recovers the genuine cost of your tenant’s breaches. We prepare robust, well-evidenced interim and terminal schedules, judged carefully against what the lease requires on a period building, serve them in line with the Dilapidations Protocol, and negotiate to secure the maximum you are properly owed. To find out more, see our dedicated landlord dilapidations page for Winchester.

Why choose Bressummer A.R.K.

As a Winchester practice, we offer genuine local knowledge of the city’s buildings combined with full chartered expertise on every dilapidations instruction. Every client is allocated a chartered building surveyor who handles the matter personally; we are responsive and clear; and because we act on both sides of dilapidations claims, on separate matters, we understand exactly how the other side thinks. We have saved clients over one million pounds through dilapidations negotiation and advised on more than 500,000 square feet of commercial space, and our roof and high-level inspections use drone technology as standard and at no additional cost, which is especially useful on the tall, complex roofs of the city’s older buildings.

Recovering a claim? Click here to see our landlord dilapidations service
Chartered surveyor inspecting a commercial property in Southampton.

We contacted Bressummer A.R.K. to carry out a dilapidation survey on one of our rental units, from the initial contact through to receiving the report, the communication was first class, the day before the survey we had to notify Bressummer A.R.K. that we needed to reschedule, this wasn’t an issue for them, they were able to fit us in within a few days of the original date.

We would highly recommend this company and will most certainly use them again for future surveys.

Simon White - New Barn Holdings

A conflict-free service

Under RICS rules, a firm cannot act for both the landlord and the tenant on the same dilapidations claim, and we never do. When we act for you, whether as landlord or tenant, our focus is entirely and only on your interest.

Areas we cover around Winchester

We act on dilapidations throughout Winchester and the surrounding area, including the city centre, the High Street, the Winnall estate and the surrounding villages. Our office at Hursley, on the edge of the city, means we can act quickly.

The dilapidations process explained

Although every case turns on its own lease and facts, dilapidations generally follow a recognisable path. During the lease, the tenant is obliged to keep the property in the state the lease requires, and a landlord may serve an interim schedule if the property is being allowed to fall into disrepair. As the lease approaches its end, the landlord’s surveyor prepares a terminal schedule of dilapidations, listing the alleged breaches and the cost of remedying them. This is served on the tenant, usually with a quantified demand, in accordance with the Dilapidations Protocol, which governs how claims should be made and responded to. The tenant’s surveyor then responds, challenging items that are overstated, not the tenant’s responsibility, or affected by the diminution cap under Section 18 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1927. The two surveyors negotiate, and the great majority of claims settle without the need for formal proceedings. Whichever side we act for in Winchester, our aim is the same: a fair, evidence-based outcome reached as efficiently as possible.

Featured Case Studies

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Featured FAQs

  • Can a dilapidations claim be negotiated?

    Yes. Opening claims are commonly overstated, and with expert representation on either side, a fair figure is reached through negotiation. The great majority of claims settle without formal proceedings.

  • What is a schedule of condition, and how does it help?

    A schedule of condition is a photographic record of a property’s state at the start of a lease. For a tenant, it can significantly limit dilapidations liability by capping the standard of repair required to the condition recorded. We prepare these for tenants taking new leases.

  • What is the Section 18 cap?

    Section 18 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1927 can limit a landlord’s recovery to the amount by which the disrepair has reduced the value of their interest in the property, which can be less than the cost of the works. It is a key consideration in most claims.

  • Do you act for both landlords and tenants?

    We act for both, but never on the same claim, as that would be a conflict of interest under RICS rules. When we act for you, our focus is entirely on your interest.

Tenant dilapidations surveyor surveying an industrial property in Andover.

Speak to a Winchester dilapidations surveyor

Whether you are a tenant facing a claim or a landlord seeking to recover one, it is good to talk. You will deal directly with a local chartered building surveyor who will tell you honestly where you stand and protect your position. Call us, email us, or book a consultation.

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