LisasCraftiques
New Member
Hi,
I live in North Carolina and
four months ago I stupidly signed a commercial 1 year lease on a retail shop. The place's location isn't the best as I am tucked behind another building. When I first looked at the place it was completley gutted because there had been a fire in it two years prior. The place had to be completley done over. I got suckered into paying to have the mouldings put in ($1400) plus did the painting and installed the toilet and sink. Everyone said "Why are you paying for that? Isn't it his responsibility?" On top of that he asked me to pay an extra $1000 "JuST TO GET ME IN THERE SINCE IT NEEDED SO MUCH WORK" It was a non-refundable deposit. He was supposedly giving me a discounted rent since I put money into it to get it ready. When it came time to sign the lease he bullied me saying I needed to come sign it right away because he was going out of town and I wouldn't be able to move in but was going to charge me rent from the last week in April. (Too bad the place wasn't ready yet...because I was too slow painting) Well, while having a panic attack and crying I stupidly signed the lease.
Once in there I have done further research and found that other buildings with Hiway exposure are renting at rates CHEAPER than what I am paying now. AND I WAS SUPPOSED TO GET A DISCOUNT!!!! I've also found that I am struggling badly just to get people in there despite my sign out by the road, flyers, newspaper ads etc. I see on the average 2-3 people a day. I just can't make the rent.
I have also been complained to by customers about the parking lot. It's dirt and is full of
huge potholes. On Sundays I can't open because the bar a few doors down serves free food and the whole parking lot gets taken over. THe girl next door at the Beauty Shop has been fighting with the bar owners for months over it and has given up opening on Sundays too. (Did I mention there are 4 buildings in this area and we all share the parking lot)
Okay here's my question. Across the road another building just came up for lease again. They are asking $125 less a month than I am paying for rent now, it's 250 square feet larger and it's right on the highway where everyone could see it. Is there ANY way to get out of my lease on this building? As I mentioned before it was gutted when I first saw it. He didn't have the final inspection to get the Certificate of Occupancy when I moved in and don't think he ever did because no inspectors have been by since I've been there. Could this be grounds to get out of the lease or maybe the condition of the parking lot?
What can I do?
I live in North Carolina and
four months ago I stupidly signed a commercial 1 year lease on a retail shop. The place's location isn't the best as I am tucked behind another building. When I first looked at the place it was completley gutted because there had been a fire in it two years prior. The place had to be completley done over. I got suckered into paying to have the mouldings put in ($1400) plus did the painting and installed the toilet and sink. Everyone said "Why are you paying for that? Isn't it his responsibility?" On top of that he asked me to pay an extra $1000 "JuST TO GET ME IN THERE SINCE IT NEEDED SO MUCH WORK" It was a non-refundable deposit. He was supposedly giving me a discounted rent since I put money into it to get it ready. When it came time to sign the lease he bullied me saying I needed to come sign it right away because he was going out of town and I wouldn't be able to move in but was going to charge me rent from the last week in April. (Too bad the place wasn't ready yet...because I was too slow painting) Well, while having a panic attack and crying I stupidly signed the lease.
Once in there I have done further research and found that other buildings with Hiway exposure are renting at rates CHEAPER than what I am paying now. AND I WAS SUPPOSED TO GET A DISCOUNT!!!! I've also found that I am struggling badly just to get people in there despite my sign out by the road, flyers, newspaper ads etc. I see on the average 2-3 people a day. I just can't make the rent.
I have also been complained to by customers about the parking lot. It's dirt and is full of
huge potholes. On Sundays I can't open because the bar a few doors down serves free food and the whole parking lot gets taken over. THe girl next door at the Beauty Shop has been fighting with the bar owners for months over it and has given up opening on Sundays too. (Did I mention there are 4 buildings in this area and we all share the parking lot)
Okay here's my question. Across the road another building just came up for lease again. They are asking $125 less a month than I am paying for rent now, it's 250 square feet larger and it's right on the highway where everyone could see it. Is there ANY way to get out of my lease on this building? As I mentioned before it was gutted when I first saw it. He didn't have the final inspection to get the Certificate of Occupancy when I moved in and don't think he ever did because no inspectors have been by since I've been there. Could this be grounds to get out of the lease or maybe the condition of the parking lot?
What can I do?
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