Lease-End Planning — How to Prepare Your Office for Handover

When your commercial lease is approaching its end, planning your office exit early is essential. London landlords have strict expectations around reinstatement, dilapidations, repairs and cleaning — and without the right preparation, tenants face unnecessary costs, delays and disputes.

This guide from London Dilaps Ltd outlines the steps every office tenant should take to ensure a smooth, compliant and cost-effective handover.

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1. Review Your Lease Terms and Schedule of Condition

Your first step should always be to review:

• • Repair obligations

• • Reinstatement clauses

• • Any alterations made during your tenancy

• • The original Schedule of Condition (if included)

This document outlines the condition you’re required to return the office to. Tenants who understand these obligations early avoid last-minute surprises and inflated claims.

Office Dilapidations London

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2. Understand Your Reinstatement Responsibilities

Most London offices require some level of reinstatement at lease end. This often includes:

• • Removing partition walls

• • Removing furniture, cabling and fittings

• • Restoring ceilings and lighting

• • Returning the space to CAT A condition

• • Removing branding, signage and AV equipment

If you added meeting rooms, flooring, or power/data infrastructure during your tenancy, these may also need to be removed.

Office Reinstatement London

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3. Get a Dilapidations Assessment Early

A professional assessment 8–12 weeks before handover can save thousands in unnecessary costs. A specialist contractor can:

• • Identify all required dilapidations

• • Provide a fixed-cost quote

• • Prevent inflated landlord-recharge rates

• • Plan works in the correct order

• • Avoid disputes at final inspection

The earlier this is done, the easier it is to control budget and timelines.

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4. Schedule Your Strip-Out and Reinstatement Works

A coordinated programme of works is essential for meeting your deadline. Most projects follow this order:

1. 1. Strip-Out
      Removal of partitions, data cabling, meeting rooms, flooring, tea points, furniture, signage and fittings.

1. 1. Repairs & Make-Good Works
      Fixing walls, ceilings, doors, floors and any damaged areas.

1. 1. CAT A Reinstatement
      Restoring the landlord’s original base build — ceilings, lighting, M&E and decorations.

1. 1. Professional Cleaning
      Full deep clean ready for final inspection.

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5. Plan for Final Deep Cleaning

Even if reinstatement works are completed perfectly, a poor final clean can lead to deductions or recharges.

Your landlord will expect:

• • Deep cleaning of all rooms

• • Carpet cleaning or steam cleaning

• • Window cleaning (internal)

• • Kitchen and WC cleaning

• • Removal of all waste

• • No remaining office equipment or cables

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6. Book a Pre-Handover Inspection

A pre-handover inspection is one of the easiest ways to avoid last-minute disputes. It allows your contractor to:

• • Check all reinstatement has been completed

• • Identify any missed items

• • Confirm cleaning quality

• • Prepare the space for landlord inspection

Tenants who skip this step often face recharges after handover.

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7. Use One Contractor for the Entire Process

Managing multiple trades individually is time-consuming and risky. Using one specialist contractor ensures:

• • Coordinated scheduling

• • No gaps between trades

• • Faster turnaround

• • A single fixed price

• • Clear accountability

• • No duplicated costs

London Dilaps Ltd provides full, turnkey lease-end solutions — from strip-out to reinstatement, repairs and cleaning — ensuring your office is handed back on time and in full compliance.

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Plan Your Office Handover Early for the Best Results

Leaving lease-end planning too late is the biggest reason tenants face unnecessary bills. Starting 6–12 weeks ahead gives you:

• • Full clarity on obligations

• • Time to complete reinstatement

• • Cost control

• • A smooth landlord inspection

• • A stress-free exit

London Dilaps Ltd can assess your space, outline your obligations, and manage the entire process end-to-end. Contact us today.