Business Landlord Worries - Please Help!

[ndn51]

Hi everyone.

 

I would like some advice on a problem I am having.

 

I rented out an office for my Limited Company starting in April. It was a shell of an office, but the landlord explained he was having all of this work done to improve it - i.e. lighting improvement, parking facilities etc etc (the list is endless). Since we have been in the office we have not been able to have a phone system or broadband! He has not filled any of his promises and is very difficult to contact.

 

In the agreement it says if they can not accommodate our needs in the Business Centre then I have the right to cancel the agreement and early termination fees. I have not been able to get in touch with the landlord for a few weeks and as we are finding it VERY difficult to trade I had to make the decision to move out. The landlord finally got back in touch with me last week and was very aggressive on the phone. I explained to him that we couldn't trade etc (I have explained these issues to him in person) and explained that we needed to take on more people and we can not get them into the office due to no phone lines/broadband etc.

 

He has sent me a final invoice for nearly £3000 and is demanding that I meet up with him. I have asked him to send me a signed copy of the agreement which he can not do for whatever reason.

 

Please could somebody help as this is stressing me out a lot! We have also paid a security deposit of £1000, which I don't think we have much chance of receiving!!!!

 

HELP PLEASE

[Conniff]

If you did not get a copy of the contract when you signed up and he cannot let you have a copy for whatever reason (we know the real reason), then there is no contract unless he can prove there is.

 

Is this final invoice broken down into what the amount is for ?

 

A breach of contract (his breach) means that only losses can be claimed and anything else is a penalty which is not allowed.

 

Don't do any more talking to him on the phone or in person, letter only and by recorded.

[ndn51]

Thanks for your help!

 

I have a copy of the contract, but it barely says anything about notice period etc. He rings me and says it says in the contract you need to give 30 days notice, but nowhere in the contract does it say this! He can not send me the signed copy, I am pretty sure I have never signed a copy of the contract to my knowledge!

 

Is there anyone I can refer him to so he will stop pestering me?

 

The final invoice just says Early Termination (7 months). Am I going to have to pay this final invoice or shall I just ignore it? I don't want to meet up with him because without doubt it will just turn into an argument.

 

Does the law say no signed contract = no further action then?

[maroondevo52]

Hi,

 

I'll move this thread to a more appropriate Forum.

 

Regards.

 

Scott.

[xtr2054]

I'm pretty sure you have a contract, whether it is written and signed or not. He could just claim it was a verbal one. All sounds very suspect, but I don't know what will help you. At the least from what you say, it sounds like you owe him nothing. His failure to respond to hopefully recorded delivery letters for a period of I assume 1 month left you no option. You may not regain your deposit, as the cost of pursuing it may outway the benefits, but at the very least he has very little to stand on to pursue you for further payments, if the contract does not specify it and/or if he has failed in his duties as a responsible landlord to remain contactable in reasonable time frames; thus not being able to address important issues that would keep the contract valid.

[MrShed]

What, exactly, does the contract say regarding them "not accomodating your needs"? Why exactly was broadband not available?