What Condition Must I Return the Premises In?
Returning a premises at the end of a lease feels a bit like returning a borrowed item to a friend—you want to hand it back looking as if you didn’t test its limits, even though you absolutely did. The difference is that your landlord won’t smile politely and pretend not to notice the wear and tear. They’ll pull out the lease agreement, flip straight to the reinstatement clause, and hold you to every line. And that’s fair. You agreed to it. The trick is understanding what “returning the premises in the right condition” actually means long before you’re handing over keys.
Most tenants assume the exit process is about cleaning up, maybe patching a hole here or there, calling it a day, and letting the next chapter begin. But reinstatement is more specific than that. Landlords expect the premises to return to the condition you received it in—original layout, original finishes, original services. They want the space back as if your fit-out never existed. It sounds harsh, but it’s the standard across South Africa, and pretending it’s negotiable doesn’t do anyone any favors.
If you installed new carpets, walls, kitchens, meeting rooms, ceilings, cabling routes, lighting layouts, or anything that changed the original structure or look of the space, you’re expected to remove it. Not halfway. Not “close enough.” Fully. And yes, removing something also means repairing anything that gets damaged during removal. If a partition wall comes down and takes part of the ceiling with it, that ceiling has to be repaired and repainted as part of your reinstatement, not left for the landlord to deal with.
Tenants are usually surprised by how specific landlords can be. Paint colors matter. Ceiling tiles matter. Light fittings matter. Door handles matter. If the original space had white walls, standard tiles, and basic fittings, that’s what you need to give back. If the original floor had some questionable marks that predated your occupation, document them when you move in. Otherwise, you’ll be blamed for them when you move out. Your move-in inspection is your safety net—if it wasn’t done properly, unfortunately you’ll feel it later.
Landlords also expect statutory compliance. That means the electrical installation must be certified. If you removed or relocated any DB boards, plugs, switches, cabling, lighting, or trunking, everything must be restored safely and certified by someone who knows what they’re doing. No shortcuts, no “my cousin is a handyman,” and no hoping the landlord won’t notice. They will notice. And they will reject non-compliant work instantly.
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Returning the premises “in good condition” also includes cleaning. Real cleaning, not the type done by someone rushing through the space with a mop and a bucket. Floors must be vacuumed or washed. Windows cleaned. Walls wiped. Kitchens and bathrooms sanitized. Waste removed. Stickers, signage, vinyls, decals, and branding stripped without leaving marks. If your fridge has survived six years of office life, clean it before you hand it over. The landlord won’t be amused if they open it and discover what the marketing team left behind during the pandemic years.
You also need to consider repairs. Any damage caused during your tenancy—scuffs, dents, chips, broken blinds, damaged door frames, loose fixtures—must be fixed. Landlords don’t overlook these things because they affect the next tenant’s perception of the space. If the damage happened under your watch, you fix it under your reinstatement duties.
There’s also the emotional side that hits when you start stripping the space. The office looks emptier than you expected. It feels like the end of a long season. People underestimate that moment. You’re not just returning walls and floors; you’re returning a space where your business lived for years. Seeing the space bare again triggers a strange mix of nostalgia and relief. Planning early makes the emotional part easier to handle.
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Returning the premises correctly also means that nothing should be left behind unless the landlord asks for it. Old furniture, shelves, IT cabling, unwanted appliances, dead pot plants—remove them. Leaving things behind costs you money when the landlord hires someone to clear it and passes the bill to you. And yes, they will pass the bill without hesitation.
One of the biggest issues I see is tenants thinking they can negotiate reinstatement at the end of the lease. Technically you can try, but don’t rely on it. Landlords rarely waive reinstatement unless you’re renewing for a long term or accepting a rental structure that offsets the landlord’s future costs. Even then, nothing is guaranteed. That’s why it’s safer to assume reinstatement is your responsibility from day one.
It helps to remember that reinstatement protects both sides. The landlord gets a space they can re-let quickly. You avoid penalties, delays, and arguments. And both sides walk away without unnecessary tension. You don’t want your final weeks in a building turning into a dispute that overshadows years of decent occupancy.
To return the premises in the correct condition, follow a simple rule: put it back the way you found it, minus the memories. Remove what you added, fix what you broke, clean what you used, and certify what you changed. That’s the baseline.
The clearer your reinstatement plan, the smoother your exit will be. And starting early gives you time to collect quotes, compare costs, and lock in a contractor who understands that reinstatement isn’t a weekend DIY project but a structured handover with real consequences if done badly.
If you treat the reinstatement process with respect, you’ll hand back the premises confidently instead of anxiously. The landlord will appreciate it. Your future self will appreciate it. And the finance team will appreciate not receiving an invoice that makes their eyebrows jump.
If you’re unsure about what exactly needs to be restored, ask for the landlord’s reinstatement scope upfront. Get the original handover photos. Walk the space with someone experienced. The more clarity you have earlier, the less painful it feels later. Reinstatement isn’t about perfection. It’s about responsibility. And approaching it honestly, without waiting for the landlord to remind you, says a lot about how you operate.
Returning the premises in the right condition is doable. It just needs planning, structure, and the willingness to deal with things long before the last month of your lease. I’ve seen tenants leave too much for too late, and it always ends the same way: stress, penalties, and rushed decisions. A bit of foresight fixes all of that.
