[no2pencil]

Situation : I am upgrading our current 2nd floor office to a 1st floor, street level (with windows) store front. We move in April 1st, but my current office lease isn't up until August.

So I called my landlord to get a pay off amount, hoping for a break on the price, since the office space will be empty & pre-paid, he could actually collect double payments if he found a new tenant before our existing lease is up. In the four years we've been leasing here, we've never once been asked to make a late payment, & it's all been hugs & kisses.

I asked for a payoff amount, & this same guy turns into a complete jackhole. In an extremely rude & unprofessional manor he starts doing the math of the months of rent to give me a figure, & says "I don't see what the confusion is". Wow. I'm looking for a break & he gets an early shot a new tenant. I don't see his confusion, or the need for his tone. Guess some of my clients that have asked about space won't be getting my referral. Not to mention I once saved the entire building from flooding from a broken pipe. I don't expect a hand out, but I do certainly expect to be talked to in a professional manor by my existing landlord. Next time I need help with basic math, I'll ring him up.

Rather than taking a negative approach to the situation, I decided to post about it here, & ask to the Dream In Code member-base, what is your worst Landlord experience ever? This is both residential & commercial.

[BenignDesign]

I rented a 3BR ranch-style off of a man who used to peep in the bedroom windows. He told me I was crazy when I mentioned someone at the windows at night.... then suddenly seemed shocked and horrified when I pointed out the footprints left in the snow. Miraculously, I didn't see another footprint near my windows for the remainder of my lease.

[tlhIn`toq]

So you're saying you are breaking your lease before the end of its term, in a down economy and don't understand why the landlord expected to get paid through the end of your contract? Is that about right?

If you sign up with AT&T for a 24 month contract, then decide to move to Verizon with 12 months left don't they require you payout the remaining 12 months of monthly service?

Sure he could have been nicer in consideration of your saving him with respect to the flooding. Perhaps something like: I'd expect you to pay for the advertising to get a new tenant and the rent until they move in, since you are breaking your lease.

[BenignDesign]

What I read is he is asking for a pay-off amount on the lease. IE, he wants to move his business, but also make good on the lease by paying what is still owed on it. He was merely *hoping* for a break in the price.

[xclite]

I wouldn't be upset if he asked to pay the full amount, but there's no reason for him to expect anything more than that, since he comes out no worse than if you occupied the building for the entire lease. There's also no reason for him to be a dick.

Edit: Or B9 can beat me by seconds. Curse you!

This post has been edited by xclite: 09 March 2011 - 01:03 PM

[no2pencil]

tlhIn`toq, on 09 March 2011 - 02:56 PM, said:

So you're saying you are breaking your lease before the end of its term, in a down economy and don't understand why the landlord expected to get paid through the end of your contract? Is that about right?

No, you've missed the point entirely.

I have six months left on my agreed lease. I'm letting him know with incredibly generous time frame, that I will be vacating the office, but would like to pay my remaining months up front so that they can show & possibly rent out the office while still under my lease.

So instead of paying the monthly rent for an empty office, I would pay the rent up front, minus a break in price, maybe a month free, half a month whatever, & they rent the office to another tenant, thus making even more money.

When I rented the office (as well as the store front) I paid six months up front, thus getting an incredibly generous rate for the first year. It's called bargaining & he certainly wasn't a prick about it when the money was up front.

Also it should be noted that every office here is currently in use. I'll be creating the first vacancy. He's acting like I knocked an ice cream cone out of his childs hand.

[xclite]

I feel like this is a case of didn't read the entire post. I've actually never had landlord issues, for which I am thankful. There's still time, of course!

[supersloth]

tlhIn`toq, on 09 March 2011 - 12:56 PM, said:

So you're saying you are breaking your lease before the end of its term, in a down economy and don't understand why the landlord expected to get paid through the end of your contract? Is that about right?

If you sign up with AT&T for a 24 month contract, then decide to move to Verizon with 12 months left don't they require you payout the remaining 12 months of monthly service?

Sure he could have been nicer in consideration of your saving him with respect to the flooding. Perhaps something like: I'd expect you to pay for the advertising to get a new tenant and the rent until they move in, since you are breaking your lease.

your analogy would be accurate if he paid off the whole att contract 12 months in advance and att was like 'nuh uh'

[tlhIn`toq]

So you're upset about his tone of voice and attitude, not that he expected you to pay the remaining duration of the contract in full? Is that right?

Not being the landlord you have no solid idea what his plans are for the building. Just because it is full now doesn't mean he wants it to stay that way. For all you know he can sell it for a large lump some to a developer as long as it is empty of tenants. At which point not expecting you to honor the full duration of the contract cuts his income.

or a dozen other scenarios that you may not be aware of because you are not his business manager.

I've already stated what I think would have been fair under normal circumstances.

[no2pencil]

I just thought rather than let it ruin my day, I'd post about it, & hear others stories. I really don't want to dwell on it, thanks.

[tlhIn`toq]

supersloth, on 09 March 2011 - 02:18 PM, said:

tlhIn`toq, on 09 March 2011 - 12:56 PM, said:

So you're saying you are breaking your lease before the end of its term, in a down economy and don't understand why the landlord expected to get paid through the end of your contract? Is that about right?

If you sign up with AT&T for a 24 month contract, then decide to move to Verizon with 12 months left don't they require you payout the remaining 12 months of monthly service?

Sure he could have been nicer in consideration of your saving him with respect to the flooding. Perhaps something like: I'd expect you to pay for the advertising to get a new tenant and the rent until they move in, since you are breaking your lease.

your analogy would be accurate if he paid off the whole att contract 12 months in advance and att was like 'nuh uh'

What? If I break my contract with AT&T I don't expect them to charge me 10 months for 12 months of remaining duration. Whether they can rent out that same number to someone else is immaterial. I entered into a legally binding contract and later should not get upset when they don't cut me some slack for leaving early.

The attitude of the employee or landlord is a completely separate matter from honoring the contract.

In this case, since the OP is the lease holder and he is going to have to pay the full amount anyway I'd probably sub-let the space and try to recover a large chunk of change.

[BenignDesign]

omfg. READ THE OP.

no2 wants out of the lease 6 months early... BUT HE WANTS TO PAY THE RENT FOR THOSE 6 MONTHS SO HE'S NOT CUTTING THE LANDLORD SHORT! He was just *hoping* the landlord would cut him the same deal he did when he signed the original lease.

This post has been edited by BenignDesign: 09 March 2011 - 01:26 PM

[supersloth]

tlhIn`toq, on 09 March 2011 - 01:25 PM, said:

supersloth, on 09 March 2011 - 02:18 PM, said:

tlhIn`toq, on 09 March 2011 - 12:56 PM, said:

So you're saying you are breaking your lease before the end of its term, in a down economy and don't understand why the landlord expected to get paid through the end of your contract? Is that about right?

If you sign up with AT&T for a 24 month contract, then decide to move to Verizon with 12 months left don't they require you payout the remaining 12 months of monthly service?

Sure he could have been nicer in consideration of your saving him with respect to the flooding. Perhaps something like: I'd expect you to pay for the advertising to get a new tenant and the rent until they move in, since you are breaking your lease.

your analogy would be accurate if he paid off the whole att contract 12 months in advance and att was like 'nuh uh'

What? If I break my contract with AT&T I don't expect them to charge me 10 months for 12 months of remaining duration. Whether they can rent out that same number to someone else is immaterial. I entered into a legally binding contract and later should not get upset when they don't cut me some slack for leaving early.

yeah but that's because phone numbers are just pretend things and this is physical space, that's where your analogy breaks down and i was playing in that space.

[supersloth]

so basically, landlords know that sometimes tenants have to leave and usually have agreements in place and are like 'hey, you didn't fuck me over by trashing the place, gave me a heads-up, i still get to make money, etc. so, if you pay up 2 months of the 3 months you owe we'll let it slide, or, if i fill your vacancy in a month you don't owe me the money for the rest of the term, etc', it doesn't ALWAYS happen, but it does happen and no2 was basically just hoping this guy would be cool because he was a great long-term tenant who isn't fucking the guy over.

then the landlord wasn't even just like 'nope', he was a fuckhead about it.

i mean, i guess i can see why tlh'sadfsadf would agree with that point of view.

[tlhIn`toq]

BenignDesign, on 09 March 2011 - 02:25 PM, said:

omfg. READ THE OP.

no2 wants out of the lease 6 months early... BUT HE WANTS TO PAY THE RENT FOR THOSE 6 MONTHS SO HE'S NOT CUTTING THE LANDLORD SHORT! He was just *hoping* the landlord would cut him the same deal he did when he signed the original lease.

Dude, its called decaf and you might want to try it.

That is why I asked the OP for clarification regarding what he was upset about; the landlord's attitude or the landlord's lack of interest in negotiating a lower payout amount.

Bowing out of conversation now. You guys get way too emotionally invested in this dren for me.