Dilapidations
In renting, dilapidations means disrepair or damage to a rental property that puts it in a worse condition than the tenant’s repairing obligations allow. In legal language it covers breaches of lease or tenancy covenants about condition and repair, either during the tenancy or at the end of it.
A dilapidations claim is when a landlord says the tenant has failed to keep the property in the required state, and asks for payment or works to put things right. This may be set out in a “schedule of dilapidations” or appear as proposed deductions from the deposit. Not every defect counts. The landlord has their own statutory repairing duties for the structure, exterior and key installations, and tenants are not liable for fair wear and tear or for problems caused by the landlord’s failures.
The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 strengthens enforcement of minimum standards and tenants’ ability to challenge poor conditions, but it does not change the basic meaning of dilapidations. It does sit alongside deposit protection and alternative dispute resolution, which tenants can use to contest inflated or unfair dilapidations claims at the end of a tenancy. Also see fair wear and tear and reporting a repair.
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