The guidance, which was developed with advice from industry experts, has been produced to support both pub companies and their tenants in minimising the scale and frequency of disputes, benefiting both parties.
BBPA chief executive Emma McClarkin said: “This guidance is an excellent tool for the pub industry.
“Its use will help to minimise disputes and strengthen the thousands of partnerships that exist between tenants and pub companies across the nation.
Important resource
“We are grateful to all of those who contributed to the guidance and hope that this will become an important reference resource for the sector.”
The guidance sets out specific procedural recommendations for best practice and highlights the importance of good communication from both pub companies and tenants throughout lease arrangements.
UKH CEO Kate Nicholls said: “Issues and disputes around dilapidations, especially in situations with long-term leases, can be problematic and expensive.
“We welcome the publication of this best practice guidance and hope it will be a useful resource for tenants, lessees and pub companies to provide clarity on dilapidations and minimise the risk of disputes.”
Minimising disputes
By setting out principles to help ensure pubs are maintained in a suitable condition, as mentioned in the guidance, pub companies and tenants can help reduce the overall costs of maintenance and minimise the level of disputes relating to repairs and dilapidations at the end of the term.
BII chief executive Steve Alton said: “Repairing obligations and dilapidations have always been a challenging area and we at the BII receive many helpline queries on the subject.
“We are hopeful this best practice guide will be of real value to all parties.”
The full report and guidance can be found here.
