Office Painting as Part of
Dilapidations Works

When a commercial tenant receives a schedule of dilapidations, redecoration is almost always on the list. Whether it's walls, ceilings, doors, or skirting boards, most commercial leases include a decorating covenant that requires the tenant to leave the property in a painted and decorated condition — and landlords enforce it.

This guide explains how painting and decorating fits into the dilapidations process: what your lease typically says, what standard the works have to meet, and how to approach getting them done without overspending or falling into dispute.

Why Redecoration Appears on Almost Every Schedule of Dilapidations

Commercial leases routinely include a decorating covenant alongside the repairing covenant. The two obligations are related but distinct: the repairing covenant covers structural and fabric maintenance, while the decorating covenant specifically requires the tenant to redecorate the premises — typically in the last year of the lease, and again at lease end if the surveyor deems it necessary.

In practice, most tenants don't repaint in the final year of their lease. They're focused on moving out. The landlord's surveyor then arrives, notes the deterioration in decorative condition, and includes a full redecoration item in the schedule. Depending on the size of the premises, this can run to a significant cost — which is why it pays to understand exactly what you're on the hook for before the works are priced.

What the Decorating Covenant Usually Requires

The exact wording varies by lease, but most decorating covenants include some version of the following obligations:

• Paint all previously painted surfaces in the last year of the term
• Redecorate to a standard consistent with the original specification
• Restore any tenant alterations to the original decorative condition
• Use colours and finishes approved by the landlord (often neutral)

Some leases require redecoration every five or seven years throughout the term, not just at lease end. If you haven't kept to that cycle, the schedule may include costs for the missed cycles as well as the final redecoration — compounding the liability. Review your lease carefully, or ask your solicitor to confirm what the covenant actually says.

What the Schedule of Dilapidations Specifies for Painting

The landlord's surveyor will inspect the premises and list every element that requires redecoration: walls, ceilings, columns, doors and door frames, skirting boards, radiators, pipework, steel lintels, and external-facing elements if applicable. Each item will be described and costed, usually using a rate per square metre for walls and ceilings, and a per-item rate for doors and ironmongery.

Common line items in the painting section of a dilapidations schedule include:

• Walls — two coats emulsion to all painted wall surfaces
• Ceilings — two coats emulsion, including coving and beams
• Doors — sand, prime, and two coats gloss to all painted door faces and frames
• Skirting and architrave — strip and redecorate to match original specification
• Metalwork — steel columns, radiators, and exposed pipework
• Reinstatement of original colour scheme where tenant has altered it

If your business installed a branded colour scheme — feature walls in company colours, bold reception finishes, or a non-standard palette throughout — these will almost certainly need to be returned to neutral at your cost. This reinstatement element is one of the most common points of contention in dilapidations negotiations, particularly where the original colour scheme was specified in the lease.

What Standard of Finish Is Required

The phrase that appears most often in commercial leases and dilapidations schedules is "good and substantial repair and in good decorative order" or simply "good decorative repair." What this means in practice is a standard that a reasonable incoming tenant would find acceptable — smooth, even surfaces, no visible staining or damage, consistent coverage, and a finish consistent with the original specification of the building.

This is not a show-home standard. It does not mean perfect. But it does mean more than a single quick coat of white over years of accumulated scuffs, marks, and tenant alterations. The RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) protocol, which governs the dilapidations process, requires both parties to act reasonably — but "reasonable" still means the works have to be done properly.

Where there is a dispute about the required standard, a schedule of condition prepared at the start of the lease is the most useful reference point. If no schedule of condition was agreed, the landlord's surveyor will assess the decorative state against what would be expected for a property of that age, type, and specification.

Preparing vs Repainting

A common area of dispute is surface preparation. Simply painting over an existing surface that is flaking, stained, or poorly adhered will not meet the required standard — and a landlord's surveyor will reject it. Proper preparation — washing down, filling, sanding, priming, and applying multiple coats — takes considerably more time and cost than a cosmetic repaint.

When getting quotes for dilapidations redecorating works, be specific about what preparation is included. A very low price usually means the preparation has been skimped, which creates risk if the landlord's surveyor inspects and rejects the works.

Doing the Works vs Paying a Cash Settlement

When a tenant receives a schedule of dilapidations, they have two main options: carry out the works themselves before vacating, or agree a financial settlement with the landlord in lieu of works.

Carrying out the works

Getting the painting done yourself is almost always cheaper than the landlord's costed schedule. The landlord's surveyor typically uses rates that reflect what it would cost the landlord to instruct a contractor at short notice after the lease ends — these are not competitive market rates. By instructing your own contractor before you vacate, you typically pay 30–50% less for equivalent work. The landlord still has the right to inspect and raise any issues, but if the standard is met, the item is closed.

Cash settlement

Some tenants prefer to negotiate a cash settlement rather than manage the works. This can be sensible if you've already vacated or if the landlord intends to refurbish the space anyway. However, settling in cash at the schedule rates is rarely good value — those rates are almost always inflated relative to actual market costs. If you do settle, negotiate hard and base your counter-offer on competitive contractor quotes.

The Section 18 Cap

Under Section 18 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1927, the landlord's dilapidations claim — including redecoration — is capped at the diminution in the value of the property caused by the disrepair. If the landlord intends to redevelop or extensively refurbish the building at the end of the lease, any painting or redecoration item in the schedule may be significantly reduced or removed entirely at negotiation, on the basis that the works would be rendered pointless by the planned works. This is a legal argument that requires surveyor and solicitor input, but it is worth raising early.

Choosing the Right Contractor for Dilapidations Painting

Not all commercial painting contractors are familiar with the dilapidations process. A contractor who doesn't understand what "good decorative order" means, or who doesn't know how to produce a method statement that matches the schedule of dilapidations line by line, creates risk — either because the works fall short of the required standard, or because there's no clear record of what was done and when.

When selecting a contractor for dilapidations redecorating works, look for:

• Experience working to a schedule of dilapidations — they should understand the items listed and be able to price against them directly
• A written specification that matches the schedule line by line
• Confirmation that surface preparation is included, not just the final coats
• Availability to complete works while you are still in occupation or immediately after vacating
• Willingness to provide a photographic record on completion for your solicitor

If the painting works are part of a wider dilapidations package — which they often are, alongside flooring reinstatement, partition removal, or minor repairs — it is generally more efficient and cost-effective to use a single contractor who can manage all the elements together.