End-of-tenancy repairs: building a practical work plan

A property refresh becomes easier to quote when each task has a location, an outcome and a person who can approve it. “Make ready for the next tenant” is a useful goal, but it is too broad to define the work on its own.

Walk through room by room

Create a list with one issue per line: the room, the fitting or surface, the observed problem and a photograph reference. Distinguish something that is damaged from something you would simply prefer to update.

Keep decisions about tenancy deductions or responsibility separate from the contractor’s work list. The immediate purpose of this list is to establish what needs doing, not to decide who should pay.

Resolve causes before finishes

A stained ceiling should prompt a question about the source before a decorating instruction. A sticking door may need adjustment rather than replacement. Record unresolved investigations separately so they are not hidden inside a cosmetic refresh.

Ask which tasks depend on another job finishing first. Plumbing repairs, surface preparation and final decoration may require separate visits, particularly where affected materials need assessment before finishing.

Make access part of the brief

Confirm key collection, available hours, parking arrangements and who can approve additional work. If furniture remains, state what needs moving and who is responsible for protecting or storing it.

Give the contractor your preferred handover date, but ask for a realistic programme based on the work and material availability. A target date should not silently become a promise before the scope is agreed.

Define the handover

Request a completed task list and photographs against the agreed scope. Keep unresolved items visible, with a named next step, rather than treating a tidy appearance as evidence that every repair has been completed.

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