A topic of conjecture amongst landlords and tenants often occurs at the end of a lease when it is required that the premises are returned to “base” condition. A report that outlines the amount and cost of work required to bring the building “back to base” condition is often referred to as a make good schedule.
Make good schedules can be prepared at various stages of a lease:
• during a lease;
• as the expiry of a lease approaches; and
• after a lease has expired.
Make Good Schedules are usually requested as the expiry of a lease approaches, as both parties have an interest in the cost and work involved to return the premises to “base” condition.
Tenants are able to pay the landlord an agreed fee for the work or arrange to have the work completed by contractors. Quite often many issues arise, such as agreeing to a cost and the extent of work required. This can create major discrepancies and legal issues. A quantity surveyor has the expertise to produce a report for either the landlord or tenant that is accepted as an independent assessment of costs, and is often used as a tool for negotiation between parties. |
