Commercial rent doubled. Is it legal?

linbadd

I'm asking this for a friend. He's getting on for 80 and has a one-man polishing business. He's been renting the same small workshop for 40 years.

Last year the building, which contains his plus two other workshops, was sold. Up until now the rent has been £125 per month (this doesn't include electricity and water - not sure about council tax and he has to pay these in addition to rent), paid every 3 months. He's paid the usual £375 for the next 3 months, but has just received an 'updated' bill for these months for £750. Hence the rent has been doubled.

He received no notice of any increase and no discussion took place between him and the landlord - the bill just arrived out of the blue.

Much of the commercial property in the area has been converted to expensive flats for 'city living' and I suspect that the landlord may be trying to vacate the property so he can jump on the bandwagon.

My friend's memory's not too good and he can't remember if he ever had a proper contract, (and if he did he doesn't know where it is), or what the terms of his tenancy were. He also can't remember when the rent was last raised - certainly not in the last year.

Business has been bad for at least 3 years and he can't afford to pay this much. He operates at a big loss already, but can't bear to give up going to work every day.

Two questions: 1. Can the landlord do this? 2. Is there anything my friend can do or any organisation that can help him (preferably for free - he's not rich and already losing a lot of money).

Any information or ideas would be much appreciated.

COOLTRIKERCHICK

i honestly dont know, so i think a visit to a solicitor is the best.

there is few ways of looking at this, first of it does lookas as though he is trying to make the tenants leave on their own accord, as porb as they have been tenanats for so long he must know there is some legal obligation somewhere.

i know yuor friend has some problems with his memory ( dont we all) but it might be wise to go through his books statements etc, to see if you can pin-point any date where there might have been a price increase on the rent.

obviously this person has bought the premises with sitting tenants so i dont think he can actually turf them out,

and as for the price increase, has he actaully given a new contract with this as well?

i personally think he's trying to pull a fast one.

i really hope he's not going to try bullyboy anticts to get yuor friend and the other tenants out

keep us updated, as your friends situation somehow pulled at my heart strings:o

wizzy65

Yet another case of greedy fat cat landlords putting up the rents and service charges, I hope that the landlord realises that if he ends up with an empty unit he will now have to pay full rates on all empty property.
A statement from the prime minister’s office this week quoted Gordon Brown: "empty rates are ‘right for the long term". Google that for the full info.
Landlords should be reducing rents in an attempt to keep the tenants they have not raising them.
These people are the ones responsible for the demise of the high street and the many empty units in shopping centers all over the country:mad: