Beyond the pale

Mrs X is in the final stages of selling on her pubco lease but has been surprised by the large amount payable on the dilapidations report

We are in the final stages of selling our pubco lease and have just received our dilapidations report.

We are absolutely appalled and disgusted at the content of this report and the extent of the work they are insisting we must have carried out before we are allowed to move to completion.

We have spent a lot of money on our pub, which now looks a thousand times better than when we took over the lease, and all this seems to have simply been overlooked.

We practically need to redecorate the whole pub, painting all door frames, architraves, ceilings, skirting boards and many walls, even though most of these have been done in the last three to six months.

They have asked for vinyl flooring to be replaced in the kitchens, even though these were there when we took over the lease and have been passed by health and safety officers.

We have to fill in holes, dig over and roller the car park, weed the patio and scrub down the slabs, which you couldn't even find when we moved in.

We need to render and repoint five external areas and replace numerous roof tiles, which were already missing when we took over. Amongst other things, ludicrously, we have to decorate the cellar and an attic space - what on earth do they think they are playing at?

These are just a few of the things they are insisting we must do to enable our

security deposit to be returned to us.

It has taken them nearly four weeks to get this report together and they have charged us £500.

What advice can you give to help me?