Can A Commercial landlord Change Locks Without a Court Order and with Animals inside?

[PetGroomerFL]

Hi all! Hope you can help me. We have an ongoing problem with the property manager for the center in which our grooming salon is located. She constantly advertises our space for rent on craigslist and other publications.
What she pulled this morning was off the chain! She appeared at the salon at 7am with a locksmith in tow, saying that we owed her 300.00 for the rest of our security deposit and until she got it she was changing the locks. Now, there were 7 animals in there ( 5 dogs and 2 cats) which we would NOT have been able to take care of ( walking feeding watering etc) had she done this. She had NO court order. NOTHING.
The security deposit agreement was we would pay it off in 6 months ( half the lease) it has only been 3 months.

I was not exactly sure if this was true or not but at the time it sounded good! I told her that IF she attempted to change the locks with live animals inside I could put 7 cruelty to animals charges on her.

I just want to know if she can legally change the locks without a court order.

 

[PetGroomerFL]

Oh and nowhere in the lease does it say a word about lock changing

 

[amanda381986]

i had a similar problem but with a residential lease, i called the courtrs and they said all i can do is file for an illegal lockout judgement. i only had 2 animals inside (my 2 cats) which the court said i could press charges against her for. as far as it being your business goes, i own a grooming business myself and i know i would ensure that my business did not take on any monitary damages due to the landlords actions.

 

[lcc123]

You might contact your local ASPCA branch (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) and see what they recommend as far as the cruelty laws in your state.