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Start from the clause, not the unit
The reinstatement clause in your tenancy agreement defines the job. It usually says "original handover condition", which only means something if you have the handover photos or drawings. Ask the managing agent for them early — they are frequently the only record of what the ceiling and flooring originally were.
The checklist
- Partitions and glass fronts. Everything added post-handover comes out, including the framing.
- Ceiling. Tenant ceiling down, base-build grid and tiles reinstated to the original type.
- Flooring. Back to the original finish — often bare screed or the original carpet tile.
- Electrical. Tenant DB, additional circuits, data and CCTV containment removed back to the riser.
- Air-con. Additional FCUs and ducting removed, base-build system left working and balanced.
- Walls and columns. Made good and repainted to the original colour, not a close match.
- Signage and branding. Removed with fixings made good, including in the lift lobby.
- Sprinklers and detectors. Repositioned back to base-build layout if the tenant moved them.
The three that catch people out
The original ceiling type, the original paint colour, and sprinkler head positions. All three are cheap to do during the works and expensive to do after a failed inspection.
Ask for the handover photos on the day you give notice. They define the job more precisely than any clause.
Timing
Book the works four to six weeks before expiry, and make sure the joint inspection sits inside the lease term with a few days spare for defects. An inspection on the last day leaves you no room to close anything out.
- #reinstatement
- #handover
- #checklist
This article is general information. Every property is different, so have the work assessed by a qualified professional before it starts.
