commercial property rent payment date

Somoneyunwise

I have been paying my rent for business premises for over 18 months at the end of the month. Suddenly, without consultation, it has changed to the middle of the month. There is no date mentioned in the lease. Can I refuse this change? What are my rights? I will discuss with the landlord but would like to know if I have a leg to stand on if he is not willing to budge. I am a very small business.

user1977

When you say "there is no date mentioned in the lease", what does the lease say about rent payments? Which country is the property in?

Somoneyunwise

Sorry - new to the site! I am in the UK. The lease just states the amount payable. It doesn't actually even say whether it's weekly, monthly or yearly....

daveyjp

Sounds like the sort of landlord who will do whatever they want and your lease sounds like a few notes written on the back of a cigarette paper.

Its a business to business transaction so if your landlord demands a change the ultimate arbiter is the court.  I'd be minded to agree, but on the basis that a proper lease is drawn up which sets out in full all the terms and conditions as any lease should.

user1977

Somoneyunwise said:

Sorry - new to the site! I am in the UK. The lease just states the amount payable. It doesn't actually even say whether it's weekly, monthly or yearly....

I meant which of the constituent nations of the UK are you in, as different laws apply. But I'm going to guess you mean England, as the other countries usually figure that bit out...

What exactly does it say?

Bookworm105

user1977 said:

Somoneyunwise said:

Sorry - new to the site! I am in the UK. The lease just states the amount payable. It doesn't actually even say whether it's weekly, monthly or yearly....

I meant which of the constituent nations of the UK are you in, as different laws apply. But I'm going to guess you mean England, as the other countries usually figure that bit out...

What exactly does it say?

this is a business to business contract so don't get too lost in residential property law differences between the nations.

B2B is whatever the contract says
How to vary a commercial contract is either set out in the contract itself, or if it is not, then it becomes a court contest if no mutual agreement can be reached.

A court does not have to be sympathetic with the underdog (tenant, as it would in residential matters) since both parties are deemed to be of equal "competence" when negotiating the contract terms.  

user1977

Bookworm105 said:

user1977 said:

Somoneyunwise said:

Sorry - new to the site! I am in the UK. The lease just states the amount payable. It doesn't actually even say whether it's weekly, monthly or yearly....

I meant which of the constituent nations of the UK are you in, as different laws apply. But I'm going to guess you mean England, as the other countries usually figure that bit out...

What exactly does it say?

this is a business to business contract so don't get too lost in residential property law differences between the nations.

I'm a commercial property solicitor so I wasn't likely to go down that road...I was more thinking that there may be differences in what would be implied depending on what's missing from the lease.