Building occupancy periods will generally span the lifecycle of any commercial property, no matter what the (intended) use. Owners and occupiers will therefore invariably be faced with a multitude of potential issues during this period, whether contentious or non-contentious. We offer specialist advice on a range of occupancy related matters.
Structural or performance defects can occur in all properties. The one thing they all have in common is the need to act swiftly.
This service includes the inspection, investigation, diagnosis and reporting of any physical or performance concerns that you may have with your property. We take a holistic approach in recommending any remedial actions, and are experienced in managing and monitoring these on your behalf.
Some common issues are outlined below:
Issues related to dilapidations can be complex and wide ranging. We have an extensive track record in dealing with a variety of dilapidations issues, both contentious and non-contentious, on behalf of both landlords and tenants.
We understand how the nuances of lease covenant affect tenants’ maintenance and repairing obligations, and therefore how best to assess any potential breach in covenants, and advise on appropriate remedial actions.
Being able to gather and analyse relevant information from different parties is vital to reaching a settlement. We will liaise with different parties to reach an agreeable solution whether this is negotiating a financial settlement or overseeing the tenant works in order to yield up the property in accordance with the terms of the lease and current market conditions.
Our services include the provision of initial advice, the preparation of terminal schedules of dilapidations, dilapidations cost assessments and interim dilapidations advice.
Our technical knowledge of different forms of construction and associated maintenance requirements means we can devise a plan to prevent significant deterioration of your property assets. A maintenance plan enables you to budget for short, medium, and long-term repairs whether you are a landlord responsible for managing the common areas through the service charge or a tenant with full repairing lease obligations.
We advise on the estimated costs and devise a tailored implementation strategy, including working with different parties to ensure the building’s value is preserved.
Our project services cover a range of refurbishment and maintenance projects for commercial and residential properties including offices, industrial and retail units. Our services are tailored to suit your specific requirements and goals.
Our services include:
We will proactively work with you to deliver a successful project from inception through to completion.
Having the right insurance is one of the most important aspects of protecting the value of your property portfolio. RCAs are routinely required for insurance purposes to allow for demolition and rebuilding of a property to the same specification (new for old) in the event of damage or total destruction.
The insured sum should allow for all relevant costs, including associated professional and statutory fees. The process of ascertaining the cost to reinstate a building is known in the industry as a Reinstatement Cost Assessment (RCA). The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) recommends RCAs are reviewed and updated on an annual basis with a complete reassessment undertaken every three years.
We have extensive experience preparing RCAs for a vast range of property types throughout the UK, including properties of a varying age, style and type. Using our experience and knowledge of the construction and development process we are able to assess a building’s reinstatement cost accurately and in accordance with the insurer’s requirements. Our valuations include site inspections, detailed measurements, the review of historical data and current market considerations.
All assessments are carried out in accordance with the RICS Guidance Note.
Landlords
We can assist you by reviewing a tenant’s proposed alterations or fit out and providing recommendations to mitigate any potential long-term damage to the property from inappropriate or poorly considered alterations. Our service includes monitoring the tenant’s works and liaising with your legal team to ensure any licence to alter is comprehensive and includes all relevant information.
For complex building engineering services installations, we can arrange for specialist engineers to be appointed to review proposed mechanical, electrical and public health services installations.
Tenants
We can also assist you with your proposed alterations and fit our works. Please refer to our contract administration and project management services for further details.
To find out more about the services we provide, get in touch on 020 3735 8800 or info@palmerglew.com