Common Disputes Between Tenants and Landlords Over Reinstatement
Short answer: Most reinstatement disputes come down to an undefined scope: the tenant and landlord disagree on what "original condition" actually means, which is why getting the scope confirmed in writing before work starts matters more than almost anything else in the process.
Where disagreements start
A reinstatement clause states the obligation but rarely defines every detail of the finished result. That gap is where most disputes live. A tenant might believe removing partitions and repainting satisfies the clause, while the landlord expects the ceiling grid and flooring stripped back too. Without a written scope agreed in advance, this disagreement only surfaces at the final inspection, when there's little time left to fix it cheaply.
A second common flashpoint is who appoints the contractor. As covered in our reinstatement clause guide, some leases let the landlord nominate a contractor at the tenant's cost. If a tenant instead hires their own contractor without checking this clause, the landlord can reject the work and require it redone by their nominated party, at the tenant's expense twice over.
How to avoid the dispute in the first place
Request the landlord's reinstatement scope in writing early, ideally 3 months before lease expiry per the timeline in our dilapidation and handover guide, not verbally and not assumed from the lease clause alone. Keep dated photos from your own move-in and from the pre-handover inspection as evidence of both starting and finishing condition.
If a dispute does happen, it typically comes down to what the security deposit can cover. Our guide on security deposits and reinstatement costs covers what a landlord can and can't deduct.
Related guides
- The Reinstatement Clause: What Tenants Are Liable For
- Security Deposit and Reinstatement Costs: What Happens If You Don't Comply
- Landlord vs Tenant: Who Pays for What in Reinstatement?
Sources
Checked July 2026.