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

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