LeaseLock: Cryptographic Lease Integrity & Tamper-Proof Digital Signing for Booth Renters

Owner breaking new lease by increasing rent, what do I do?

Question: From July 24th to today, have you been paying the $150 a week and has the owner accepted it? That is important, as that could be used to enforce the old contract through "Performance". You continued to pay $150 a week, she accepted the $150 a week, which means that contract could be viewed as valid, and any rent increase would have to happen within the guidelines of that contract Here's the problem you face, that would need to be determined by a court, and any legal fee's would easily outstrip the damages. Paying $5,000+ for a retainer and dragging this through the courts makes zero financial sense Since this is a relationship you want to preserve, I would try and avoid the antagonistic legal approach, since even if you are legally right, it would be finacially untenable to try and enforce it. What I would do is this: do not sign the new pages. Sit down with her calmly and bring your copy of the original paperwork and your payment records between July 24th and now. You can say something like this: "I understand that salon expenses are increasing, and the AC repair have been frustrating, but I have been paying $150 a week under the original 12 month agreement from back in July and I budgeted my business around that rate for the year. Under that agreement, that rate is fixed until next July. I enjoy working here and want to keep a great relationship with you, but I cannot agree to amend our agreement to $200/week." If that doesn't work you could hire a lawyer for a few hundred dollar fixed price engagement to draft a legal demand letter. This would be an escalation and would probably hurt the relationship but it may cause the owner to back down If the owner just stands their ground and refuses, your realistic choices are pay the extra $50 a week or give notice and find a new salon. In small dollar commercial disputes like this, being legally right doesn't mean it makes any financial sense to try and enforce. "Being right" doesn't pay the bills.

Question: From July 24th to today, have you been paying the $150 a week and has the owner accepted it? That is important, as that could be used to enforce the old contract through "Performance". You continued to pay $150 a week, she accepted the $150 a week, which means that contract could be viewed as valid, and any rent increase would have to happen within the guidelines of that contract Here's the problem you face, that would need to be determined by a court, and any legal fee's would easily outstrip the damages. Paying $5,000+ for a retainer and dragging this through the courts makes zero financial sense Since this is a relationship you want to preserve, I would try and avoid the antagonistic legal approach, since even if you are legally right, it would be finacially untenable to try and enforce it. What I would do is this: do not sign the new pages. Sit down with her calmly and bring your copy of the original paperwork and your payment records between July 24th and now. You can say something like this: "I understand that salon expenses are increasing, and the AC repair have been frustrating, but I have been paying $150 a week under the original 12 month agreement from back in July and I budgeted my business around that rate for the year. Under that agreement, that rate is fixed until next July. I enjoy working here and want to keep a great relationship with you, but I cannot agree to amend our agreement to $200/week." If that doesn't work you could hire a lawyer for a few hundred dollar fixed price engagement to draft a legal demand letter. This would be an escalation and would probably hurt the relationship but it may cause the owner to back down If the owner just stands their ground and refuses, your realistic choices are pay the extra $50 a week or give notice and find a new salon. In small dollar commercial disputes like this, being legally right doesn't mean it makes any financial sense to try and enforce. "Being right" doesn't pay the bills.