Video Schedules of Condition

Advances in technology often affect how we carry out our work and this is particularly true for recording schedules of condition.

In case you are not aware, a schedule of condition is a detailed record of the parts of a property that are at risk of being damaged by building works close by. Although not specifically mentioned in the Act, party wall surveyors will include a schedule of condition in an award so that it can be referred to, should damage be suspected.

As a young surveyor, we made detailed hand written notes when recording a schedule, supported by a handful of photos (to be developed later or on the office instant camera if you got to it first). As time progressed, Dictaphones became more portable, cameras were incorporated into phones and the quality of the images got better and better.

Back in 2021, I still had my doubts about whether photos could replace a detailed description, but we’ve recently overcome that hurdle by introducing video schedules with supporting commentary. Our surveyors now inspect each room to be included before repeating the exercise while recording what they’ve seen and describing it in real time, including zooming in on any visible cracks. We repeat the exercise when recording the relevant external parts of a property and take a complete set of supporting photographs.

One of my reservations in 2021 was the difficulties of re-checking a photographic only schedule, such as having to download hundreds of his-res photos on to a tablet and trying to differentiate between multiple close-up photos of cracks. In the years since, there’s been a shift away from including check offs in awards as a result of legal comment for all but the most high-risk works. This means it’s now more likely to be an owner checking a schedule of condition to verify damage in the first instance.

Several of our appointing owners have told us how user friendly they find our video schedules. If they see a crack that they’ve not noticed before during the works, they can spend a couple of minutes reviewing the video of the relevant area rather than wading through pages of very similar looking crack descriptions (you’d be surprised at just how many cracks we find in even the most well-presented houses).

What will be the next great technological leap forward for schedule of condition? Even the most agile robot might struggle to hold back a curtain, while simultaneously videoing a crack around the perimeter of the frame without disturbing the ornaments on the window cill. I think owners are going to need experienced party wall surveyors for a while yet.

If you require advice on any party wall related matter, you are welcome to contact us on 020 7183 2578 or via email.