CBC
Guide · Evidential standards

The photographic Schedule of Condition

Photography is the evidential core of a Schedule of Condition. Years after lease grant, when the surveyors who prepared the schedule have moved on, when the building has changed, when memories have faded, the dated, cross-referenced photograph is the record that still speaks for itself.

Author
CBC Surveyors
Updated
Updated 2025
Reading time
6 min read

Overview

A casual photographic record, a few mobile-phone snaps, undated, uncaptioned, and uncoupled from the written schedule, has very little evidential value. A serious photographic record is dated, cross-referenced to the written schedule, taken at considered angles, and prepared with the dilapidations negotiation already in mind.

What makes photography evidential

Three things: it is dated (so contemporaneity can be proved), it is cross-referenced to the written schedule (so a specific photograph supports a specific written observation), and it is taken at angles that show the condition rather than flatter the property.

Common photographic failures

We see the same failures repeatedly: uncaptioned photographs that nobody can later locate within the building, photographs taken to "show the demise" rather than to record condition, missing high-level shots, missing roof photography, and, surprisingly often, entire rooms or external elevations omitted altogether.

What CBC's photographic records cover

External elevations from each principal viewpoint; the roof where accessible; every internal room and circulation area; floor finishes and ceiling finishes; existing defects close-up alongside a contextual wider shot; mechanical and electrical installations as observed; external areas including yards and car parks where they form part of the demise.

Format and delivery

Photographs are issued embedded in the schedule itself, not as a separate gallery, with cross-references to the written observations. The schedule is delivered in lease-ready format suitable for appending to the executed lease.

Key takeaways

What to remember

  • 01Photography is the evidential core of a Schedule of Condition.
  • 02Dated, cross-referenced photographs are essential, casual snaps have little evidential value.
  • 03External, internal, roof and high-level coverage should all be addressed.
  • 04Photography should be embedded in the schedule, not delivered as a separate gallery.
Common questions

Frequently asked

For the full service overview, see our main Schedule of Condition page, the authoritative CBC reference for commercial lease schedules across the UK.

Visit the main Schedule of Condition page

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