CBC
Service · Landlord-side

Terminal schedule of dilapidations

The end-of-lease schedule that crystallises the landlord's claim against the tenant. Served at, or shortly after, the lease expiry date, and the foundation document of the quantified demand that follows.

Author
CBC Surveyors
Updated
Updated 2026
Reading time
5 min read

Overview

The terminal schedule is the most common dilapidations instrument and the starting point of almost every formal end-of-lease claim. Prepared properly, it sets the tone of the negotiation that follows. Prepared poorly, it undermines the landlord's position before the tenant has even responded.

When the terminal schedule is served

Terminal schedules are typically served at lease expiry, or within a short period afterwards. The Pre-Action Protocol expects the landlord's quantified demand to follow within a reasonable period, usually 56 days of the schedule, so the schedule must be inspection-ready and evidentially complete at the point of service.

Scope of a terminal schedule

The terminal schedule covers the tenant's obligations to:

  • Repair, in accordance with the repairing covenant
  • Decorate, where the lease imposes a decorating obligation
  • Reinstate any alterations the lease requires to be removed
  • Yield up in the condition required by the lease
  • Comply with statutory obligations imposed on the tenant

From schedule to settlement

Following service, the landlord typically progresses to a quantified demand setting out the loss claimed. The tenant's surveyor responds, a Scott schedule is prepared to record positions on each item, and the parties negotiate to settlement, with the Section 18 cap as the ultimate recoverable ceiling.

Key takeaways

What to remember

  • 01The terminal schedule sets the tone of the negotiation that follows.
  • 02Reinstatement items are often the highest-value part of the claim.
  • 03Prepare with the quantified demand and Scott schedule in mind from day one.
Instruct preparation

Lease ending soon, schedule needed?

Send the lease, the lease end date and any licences for alterations, and a specialist surveyor will respond the same working day.
Common questions

Frequently asked

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