End-of-lease dilapidations claims between landlords and tenants often turn on competing schedules and disputed costs. Kingston Surveyors arranges an independent RICS building surveyor to act as expert witness, preparing or reviewing the schedule of dilapidations, applying the Dilapidations Protocol and Section 18 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1927, and giving a defensible opinion on liability. We cover commercial property across London and nationwide.
A dilapidations expert witness independently assesses the repairing, decorating and reinstatement obligations under a lease and forms a professional view on the reasonable cost of remedying breaches. Crucially, they also consider the Section 18 cap, which limits a landlord’s damages to the diminution in the value of their interest, preventing inflated claims and helping both sides reach a realistic settlement.
Most dilapidations matters settle through negotiation, and a well-evidenced expert report is often the catalyst. Our surveyor prepares Scott Schedules setting out each party’s position item by item, attends without-prejudice meetings where required, and can give oral evidence if the claim proceeds to trial. Acting on either side, the overriding duty remains to the court.
Our panel includes commercial building surveyors with extensive dilapidations and litigation experience, matched to your property and its lease terms. Reports are thorough, Part 35-compliant and delivered to your timetable. Contact Kingston Surveyors today for a free, no-obligation quote on a dilapidations expert witness report anywhere in the UK.
Dilapidations disputes are document-heavy: the lease, the schedule, section 18(1) valuation caps and the Dilapidations Protocol all constrain what a landlord can recover. The RICS experts we arrange prepare or rebut terminal schedules, assess reasonable remedial costs, and give CPR Part 35-compliant opinions on diminution in value – the figure that actually decides most claims.
We act for landlords quantifying claims, tenants disputing inflated schedules, and solicitors needing a single joint expert. Reports are quoted on lease and schedule size; straightforward tenant defences start from fixed fees. Related reading: what an expert witness does, our dilapidation surveys, and the schedule of dilapidations service the evidence builds on.
