The occupier of these two London industrial units which were originally leased to a government funded body had made extensive alterations over the years and were approaching the end of their lease. Finding the premises a little too large and no longer ideally suiting them, they had the opportunity to negotiate a new lease or to secure alternative premises but without knowledge of their likely dilapidations liability, decisions were impossible.
Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors were asked to advise, made an inspection of both buildings, studied the lease, license for alterations and other relevant paperwork and estimated the dilapidations liability which enabled the client to make a decision to secure alternative premises having accrued a sum to settle with the landlord.
Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors were subsequently instructed to negotiate settlement with the landlord and having previously advised the tenant to budget £333k, settlement was reached at £300k, approximately £76k less than the claim. Again, a large element of the claim in this case was reinstatement of alterations, the cost of which can easily be budgeted for in advance.