What to Check in a Reinstatement Clause Before You Sign a Lease
Short answer: Before signing a commercial lease, ask for a defined reinstatement scope, confirm whether the landlord nominates the contractor, and check how the security deposit relates to reinstatement cost, since all three are far easier to negotiate before you sign than after.
Three questions worth asking up front
First: what exactly counts as "original condition"? Ask the landlord to define the standard, bare shell or a lighter finish, in writing, ideally with reference to move-in condition photos or drawings, rather than relying on the general wording most lease templates use. Our bare shell vs full reinstatement guide explains why this distinction changes the cost significantly.
Second: who appoints the contractor? If the lease gives the landlord that right at your cost, factor an unknown contractor price into your planning from day one rather than assuming you'll shop around freely later. Third: how does the security deposit interact with reinstatement? SingaporeLegalAdvice.com notes deposits are typically equivalent to 3 months' gross rent, and a landlord can deduct reinstatement shortfalls from it, so understand what happens if your reinstatement runs over budget or over time.
Get it in the lease, not a side conversation
A verbal assurance from a leasing agent about a "light" reinstatement standard means little if the signed lease says otherwise. Where you negotiate any change to the standard scope, get it written into the lease or a signed side letter, not left as an email thread that's easy to lose track of over a 2 or 3 year tenancy.
Related guides
- The Reinstatement Clause: What Tenants Are Liable For
- Landlord vs Tenant: Who Pays for What in Reinstatement?
Sources
Checked July 2026.