Notice to end commercial Lease

[simeon1964]

My office was given notice to end my lease after 12years. The reason: the landlord needs the property and will not renew.

The building was residential, unknown to me at the time of my occupation that the tenants were squatters they occupy 17 of the 18 flats and had been there for over 30years. I am the legitimate tenant. Few months after I started my business the squatter started to make my life a hell and make my business in operational. I complained to the landlord the reply was I must be quiet as they did not want to raise a long time problem.

Several complaints were made about maintenance, repairs, cleaning and obstruction of squatters, but the landlord did not respond so I carried out all maintenance repairs by myself.

Last year October the landlord was able to get rid of all the tenants after over 30years and now the landlord had sent me notice to end my lease. I have asked the landlord and his agent what they want do with property they have refused to say. What can I do? I operate on a high street in London and business has picked up since I didn't have to worry about the squatters obstruction.

[mariner51]

If LL granted you a commercial Lease, termination terms will be in your Lease. T is normally resp for commercial property maintenance.

[simeon1964]

Yes this rightly say so on my lease but there were communal use with the squatters who were obstructive which was not included in the lease and whose passage I had to look after in order for my area of business to look attractive. Secondly the squatter had prevented me from the use of area I have paid for the length of my lease which the landlord did nothing about. The LL recently gave me the keys to access this area soon after the squatters were evicted in oct 2014.

Do I have good ground to take court action against the LL?

[ericsbrother]

Your LL will argue that you had the right to remedy against the squatters yourself so he doesnt owe you a bean.

It is apparent that with the squatters gone the property is worth a lot more and so could be sold or relet for a lot more if you arent there as well. I can only suggest requesting monies for works carried out that werent in tenency and hope that a speedy resolution is enough to get LL interested in considering this rather than risk a possible claim against his newly found fortune

[simeon1964]

Will the court action (should the LL decides not to pay up), holds the quit notice so that I can continue to do business longer than the six month or will I need to quit at end of notice and take the court action?

[simeon1964]

Will court action for lack of repairs and other neglect hold the notice to quit?

[mariner51]

Prob not. Your commercial Lease poss made you resp for nec repairs to your property, not the LL, but you will only know if you bring the case,pref before expiry of the NTQ.

[simeon1964]

Can I then quit and then take up claim for repairs and neglect to save cost

[simeon1964]

I have now sent a without prejudice notice to my landlord that I intend to release my lease in 3months instead of the three years I am asking for from the court.

This is on the basis that I will be given consideration if I am unable to collect all money owed to my company within that three months.

The landlord did not address this, instead his solicitor sent a draft of consent order for me to sign and leave in three months.

I have been able to collect over 60% of money owed to the business in the time of the NTQ

Should I commit the landlord to this consideration or continue with my request for the three years extension of lease in court.

[simeon1964]

I have a lease for my office and I was issued a license agreement for my office carpark space which is by the side of my office on the high street in London south west. I have been there for 13years.

The settlement was £3,000. When I asked about the Car park, the response was that it was not part of the lease as it was license agreement. I insisted that since they require me to hand the car park over I would need compensation.

I was offer extra £200.00 which I turned down, then, £600, then 700 now total £3,700.00

Can anyone help? I cannot find information on the valuation agency but my Landlord can. My landlord is Local government. How do i know am getting a good deal?