On your side from
lease start to lease end.
Most commercial tenants don’t think about the building until something goes wrong — a dilapidations claim arrives, your lease is ending, or your landlord’s surveyor has just got in touch. Loudwater works with tenants when those moments hit. We act in your interests, end-to-end.
Most tenant work begins with one of these.
When something lands on a tenant — a claim, a notice, a looming deadline — there’s usually a clear next step. These are the ones we’re asked about most.
You’ve received a dilapidations claim.
Don’t pay it. Don’t ignore it. The figure is almost certainly inflated, and the lease may limit your liability more than the claim assumes. We respond, challenge, and negotiate.
Your lease is ending in the next 12–24 months.
A Dilapidations Assessment now tells you what you’re likely to face, lets you budget, and gives you time to choose between doing the works or paying the settlement. The earlier you know, the more options you have.
You’re taking on a new lease.
A Schedule of Condition, properly referenced in the lease, limits your future repair obligations to the condition documented at the start. It’s the most cost-effective protection you can buy as a tenant — and the moment to do it is now.
You’re considering a break clause.
Break clauses are unforgiving — miss a precondition and you’re locked in. We assess your dilapidations exposure and the practical conditions, so you can make an informed decision before the deadline.
You’ve been served an Interim Schedule or Section 146 notice.
Your landlord is telling you they think you’re in breach during the lease. The right response depends on whether the claim is fair, whether they’re entitled to demand action, and what the lease actually says. We respond properly.
You’re fitting out, refurbishing, or doing works.
Independent contract administration protects you when you commission works — a contractor working under a properly administered contract delivers what’s specified, when it’s specified, at the cost agreed.
Across the lease cycle.
The protections you need depend on where you are in the lease. Most tenants come to us at one of these moments — but knowing how the phases connect helps you plan ahead.
Lease start
During the lease
Dilapidations Assessments
Mid-lease cost forecasts so you can budget and plan strategically. Often available as deductions under FRS 102.
Interim Schedules for Tenants
Responding properly when a landlord serves an interim claim.
Repairs Notices for Tenants
Section 146 and similar notices need careful, considered responses.
Lease end
Commissioning works
When defects appear
Acquisition (if you’re buying)
Reading for tenants.
Reading a Schedule of Dilapidations: a tenant’s field guide
What the document actually is, what it isn’t, and the six lines of defence to look for before you panic.
Section 18 and the diminution cap, plainly explained
The single most misunderstood piece of law in commercial dilapidations.
Why every commercial tenant needs a Schedule of Condition
The cheapest protection you can buy at lease start — and what happens if you don’t.
Every report and schedule is signed by a Chartered Surveyor (MRICS) and prepared under RICS standards. We’re independent — no agency arm, no developer ties. The advice tracks the lease and the law, not anyone else’s interests.
Tell us what’s arrived in your inbox.
Whether it’s a dilapidations claim, a Section 146 notice, or just a worry about what happens at the end of your lease — initial conversations are free. We’ll tell you honestly whether you need us, and what to do next.