jcorrales821
New Member
Prior to signing the lease agreement, the property manager reassured me that I shouldn't have any problems in getting my permits because the previous tenant fell under the same type of business (fitness facility). Upon signing the leasing agreement, I proceeded in obtaining my business license and when I went to apply for the certificate of use, they told me I needed to apply for a building permit because it's a change of use of the space. I explained that there was a fitness facility there and that I was not going to make any alterations to the space whatsoever. Yet it turns out the previous tenant had been operating their business as an office not a fitness facility. Now, I am required to get a building permit plus hire an architect in order to submit floor plans. I was not ready for this. Apparently, it'll cost me thousands of dollars which I didn't account for. Can the landlord be held accountable for misleading me? It turns out they haven't rented the space in 4 years. I suspect other people encountered similar issues. Now I'm stuck paying the rent for a business I can't operate because of this issue. I've invested a lot of money, effort and time and now I don't know what to do. I don't have $7,000 to pay an architect. What options and/or rights do I have?
Thank you in advance.
Thank you in advance.