Dealing with exploitative landlords

MrsCake1982: mrscake1982■ : 2 minutes ago
So I started my own street food business almost a year ago and at the time I was over the moon to be able to find a commercial kitchen unit to hire. Unfortunately that joy soon turned to a nightmare.

Without going into too much detail the two who lease the kitchens are preying on small start ups. They only care about money and shirk what little contracted responsibilities they actually do have. Before you are allowed to take up residence you have to go to a solicitor and sign an opt out of the 1954 act with gives rights to commercial tenants. And they use that to threaten people with eviction all the time.

I finally had enough of their crap and decided not to renew my tenancy. I was extremely lucky to find another kitchen. But if I hadn’t that would have put me out of business and potentially out of my home.

I will be so relieved to get away from them, but I can’t just walk away and forget about it. That’s what other people they have put out of business have done in the past. And it boils my blood to think of them getting away with this time and again. I have made a lot of friends with the other tenants in that building and they are being exploited too, but are too scared to do anything about it.

I have a solicitor friend and we sat down and discussed everything and although they are clearly operating in both legally and morally dubious ground. The legal options will likely cost thousands, take forever and will have no guarantee of success.

So what I’m looking for is ideas for bringing these two down, or are least getting them to behave in a way that is vaguely human! I’ve already contacted my local newspaper to see if they’re interested, but haven’t heard anything back. The good news is that they only sublet the building, and if they were forced out the owner would likely do a deal direct with the tenants.

So come on people, any original ideas on how to deal with these parasites?