In most cases, yes—offering a Schedule of Condition report to your neighbour before your works start is one of the most sensible and professional steps you can take. It protects your neighbour’s property, protects you from unfounded claims, and helps your project run more smoothly by reducing the likelihood of disputes and delays.
Even where you have a good relationship with your neighbour, building work can create uncertainty. A Schedule of Condition is a calm, evidence-led way to remove that uncertainty before it turns into friction.
This article explains why offering a Schedule of Condition is good practice, when it is particularly important, how to offer it in the right way, and what a proper report should include.
1) What you achieve by offering a Schedule of Condition
A Schedule of Condition report is a written and photographic record of the neighbour’s property condition at a specific date—usually just before higher-risk building activity starts. Its purpose is not to create conflict. It is to establish a baseline that everyone can rely on if concerns arise.
By offering one, you create four immediate benefits:
A) You demonstrate professionalism and transparency
Neighbours are often most anxious when they feel they are being kept in the dark. Offering a Schedule of Condition signals that you are organised, considerate, and taking responsibility.
B) You protect your neighbour fairly
If something genuinely changes during your works, a baseline record makes it easier to identify and put right quickly.
C) You protect yourself from historic defects being blamed on your project
This is a major reason building owners commission schedules. Many properties have pre-existing hairline cracks, minor settlement, or worn finishes. Without a baseline record, it can be difficult to separate “existing condition” from “new damage.”
D) You reduce the chance of programme disruption
If allegations arise mid-project and there is no baseline, matters can become emotive, leading to:
- repeated inspections,
- tense communication,
- requests to stop works,
- delays and rising costs.
A Schedule of Condition reduces the chance of that spiral.
2) When it’s especially important to offer one
While a Schedule of Condition is helpful in many projects, it becomes particularly important when your works involve:
Excavation and foundations
Any excavation near neighbouring structures can cause concern—even where works are well designed and competently executed.
Demolition and heavy breaking out
Vibration can trigger concerns and bring existing defects to attention.
Structural alterations
Steelwork installation, chimney modifications, load transfer changes, or significant wall alterations increase the perceived (and sometimes real) risk.
Basement works, underpinning, or piling
These are higher-risk categories where a baseline record is strongly advisable.
Scaffolding and access near boundaries
Even if structural risk is limited, access can affect:
- paving and patios,
- garden and boundary walls,
- gutters and roof edges,
- external finishes.
Older properties or properties with known cracking
If the neighbour’s property is older, has historic settlement, or has delicate finishes, offering a schedule is a particularly responsible step.
3) When it may be optional (but still wise)
If your project is low-risk—minor internal works, limited structural change, works well away from the boundary—then a full, highly detailed schedule may be more than is necessary.
However, even in lower-risk projects, a modest “photo-led with concise notes” Schedule of Condition can still be a cost-effective way to avoid misunderstandings.
Peace of mind is often worth more than the small upfront cost.
4) How to offer it without creating anxiety
The best offers are framed as mutual protection and a normal part of good practice. The aim is to reassure, not alarm.
A professional way to position it:
- “Before the disruptive stages begin, I’d like to arrange a Schedule of Condition of the areas closest to the works. It protects both of us by recording what’s already there, so if anything changes we can deal with it fairly and quickly.”
This makes it clear you are not expecting damage—you are managing risk properly.
5) What should the Schedule of Condition include?
To be genuinely useful, the report should include both written descriptions and referenced photographs. A strong Schedule of Condition typically includes:
A) Clear scope and controls
- inspection date and time
- who attended
- areas inspected and any limitations
B) Room-by-room internal record (where relevant)
- ceilings, walls, junctions, floors
- openings and reveals (common movement hotspots)
- any existing cracks recorded with location and extent
C) External record (often overlooked, frequently disputed)
Depending on your works, this may include:
- elevations facing the works
- boundary walls and garden walls
- paving, patios, steps, retaining walls
- outbuildings close to excavation or access
D) Photographs that are usable evidence
- sharp, well-lit images
- context shots plus close-ups
- labelled/captioned and cross-referenced to the notes
A simple folder of unlabelled phone photos is better than nothing, but it rarely provides the clarity needed if matters become contentious.
6) Who should prepare it?
For credibility and usefulness, the Schedule of Condition should ideally be prepared by:
- an experienced surveyor or building professional,
- who works methodically,
- and produces a structured report designed to be relied upon later.
If the neighbour is understandably cautious, using an independent professional helps build trust.
7) What if your neighbour refuses access?
Refusal happens, often because of privacy concerns or anxiety. If that occurs:
A) Offer a limited scope inspection
Suggest focusing only on:
- rooms closest to the works,
- and relevant external areas.
B) Offer to let them be present
Many neighbours feel reassured if they can accompany the inspection.
C) Keep it efficient
Confirm the inspection will be non-invasive, respectful, and time-bound.
D) If access is still refused
You can still protect yourself by:
- documenting external condition from your side where possible,
- keeping excellent site records and progress photos,
- maintaining clear communication.
But it is worth understanding: refusing access removes a powerful tool that protects both parties.
8) Should you also offer a post-work “check-off”?
For higher-risk projects, it is good practice to propose a post-work check-off inspection once the key disruptive stages are complete. This:
- confirms whether anything has changed,
- provides reassurance if nothing has changed,
- or allows early making-good if something has.
A check-off can be a very effective way to “close out” neighbour concerns and avoid late claims after demobilisation.
9) The bigger picture: it’s often the cheapest dispute prevention you can buy
Compared with the cost of:
- delays,
- repeated professional visits,
- worsening neighbour relations,
- or disputed damage claims,
a well-prepared Schedule of Condition is usually a modest, sensible investment.
In summary
Yes—offering your neighbour a Schedule of Condition report before your works is typically a responsible and pragmatic step. It builds trust, protects both sides, reduces dispute risk, and supports a smoother project.
Want to offer the right Schedule of Condition for your project?
Email mail@howorth.uk or call 07794 400 212. Tell us what works you are planning and how close they are to neighbouring property, and we’ll recommend a proportionate scope and produce a clear, evidence-led Schedule of Condition report designed to protect you and your neighbour.