Looking to end tenancy

JulsK

Hi.
I'm a sole trader renting a small office. I signed a printed letter in 2012 agreeing the rent due each week inclusive of bills, payable monthly, but not mentioning any notice period. I remember the landlord saying verbally that it would be a relaxed agreement, bit a couple of months notice would be appreciated.
18 months ago it turned out that they'd rented to office over the landing to a message therapist, without looking into her business or even checking her name. It turned out was actually running an illegal brothel. It took me some time to prove it, but she was eventually evicted at the end of 2018. The problem was, she was working under an alias and my name was over the door. As a result, my business was destroyed and it has taken me over a year to return to half the client list I had before. I was the only tenant to stick around after this, but soldiered on. The have just re-rented the other offices after a year of being unable to find tenants and have told me that they've decided to split utilities three ways on future, despite the fact that my little broom cupboard is less that a quarter the size of the others and I am only there 2/3 days each week 39 weeks each year. Given the poor state of my business after what happened,bi felt I couldn't justify the extra expense and have notified them that I wish to end the tenancy at the end of the month. I am desperate to leave as it's been awful having my professional reputation destroyed by association. They are now saying that there is a two month notice period and are referring to an emailed agreement from 2012 which I never saw, let alone signed. Can I be forced to pay rent and bills for two months given that they have changed the terms by adding bills which should be included?

cedrag

JulsK wrote: »

Hi.
I'm a sole trader renting a small office. I signed a printed letter in 2012 agreeing the rent due each week inclusive of bills, payable monthly, but not mentioning any notice period. I remember the landlord saying verbally that it would be a relaxed agreement, bit a couple of months notice would be appreciated.
18 months ago it turned out that they'd rented to office over the landing to a message therapist, without looking into her business or even checking her name. It turned out was actually running an illegal brothel. It took me some time to prove it, but she was eventually evicted at the end of 2018. The problem was, she was working under an alias and my name was over the door. As a result, my business was destroyed and it has taken me over a year to return to half the client list I had before. I was the only tenant to stick around after this, but soldiered on. The have just re-rented the other offices after a year of being unable to find tenants and have told me that they've decided to split utilities three ways on future, despite the fact that my little broom cupboard is less that a quarter the size of the others and I am only there 2/3 days each week 39 weeks each year. Given the poor state of my business after what happened,bi felt I couldn't justify the extra expense and have notified them that I wish to end the tenancy at the end of the month. I am desperate to leave as it's been awful having my professional reputation destroyed by association. They are now saying that there is a two month notice period and are referring to an emailed agreement from 2012 which I never saw, let alone signed. Can I be forced to pay rent and bills for two months given that they have changed the terms by adding bills which should be included?

You need to go back to the legal adviser you consulted before entering into this commercial rental agreement.

It's times like this that they really come into their own

Pennywise

Sounds like you need to adhere to the original 2 month notice period, but you are only liable to the bills you agreed to in the original agreement, not the recent changes they've suggested to which presumably you havn't agreed.