Shop Problems

[alina1686]

So I have been in my current shop for about a year and a half now. My lease is up in 6 months & I have had problems from the start!

When I moved in the place was trashed!!! Garbage everywhere & just not presentable to the public...$10,000 later & its nice, but not even close to what I want it to be. Next I noticed water damage & mold on some of the corners of the walls...I asked the real estate agent if they had issues with flooding "no". Well my ceiling leaked almost half of last winter...so I had water on my new $3000 floor. Then to make it better now, the plumbing is all messed up. there are 9 other units in my building and all the plumbing is connected but I am the lucky one with the end unit where all the water backs up! So my precious $10K in work is starting to go down the drain...or up it!

I want to move so bad but I feel like it is a waste of all the money I put in...and I know that the next place I move I will also have to modify....I am on a back industrial road right now with NOOOO visibility to traffic...So I am hoping to find something with good visibility...

On top of all that my rent went up $155 because of property tax increase! ( So this space is just getting worse & worse....I just can't wait to get out of here!

[Admin]

Sorry all this happened to you.

Everyone should remember, and this is a good reminder, that every lease is a negotiation, and every lease means have an inspection done before you sign.

Don't let yourself become responsible for many of these problems by having a pro inspect. Also, most important, you never have to sign the lease presented to you. Take the lease to a real estate or contract attorney and ask "what is wrong with this lease?"

You would be amazed almost always they suggest adding a few points to protect your interests. Always assume a lease presented to you represents the interests of the landlord.

After the inspection you can negotiate who will fix what, and at least note all the problems in an addendum attached to the lease such that you are not responsible to repair this or that if you don't really need to and then not before turning the property back over, etc.

Every lease is a poker game really and I've learned as a consultant and many years working in law firms watching wise people bring in leases for evaluation, it's very common. Big name chain stores such as Starbuck bring their own lease, they understand.

Where one of my consult clients really wanted a space but the landlord wasn't budging etc, we got a mediator, usually an attorney and in their office both parties hammered it out in a friendly way that satisfied both. Many people don't realize that every lease is a negotiation, and often a bit of poker too. "I will accept being responsible for this improvement, but then the rent will need to be dropped 10 cents a foot." Etc. If you are saving cash, "I ask that the landlord do this _____ and I will pay 20 cents a foot more rent for 5 years." Etc.

Hope you find a better place this time round, I have seen TOO MANY times groomers sign a lease only to find out electricity panel was way too inadequate and they had $10,000 obligation to upgrade it just to run HV's etc. OMG have the inspection first and show the inspector the electrical demand you need, etc.

(ways keep in a mind a building with high visibility can boom a business several times. I have many clients with building signs on or near major arterial roads that get 500 or more new customers just from their sign, so it can be worth the rent but then this is for groomers willing to add staff too.)

[alina1686]

Excellent

That is some fantastic advice...I actually did read through the entire lease & had my dad and uncle who also own their own business look over it. I would not have thought to have it modified though! I will definitely do this next time. Also, I'm glad you mentioned it, I was concerned that I would not get many new clients by moving to a more visible area, so that was kind of holding me back from REALLY wanting to move, but I would love to have the new clients...and more groomers for that matter!

[SiberianLover]

Yep excellent advice. I went round and round before I would sign my lease. My real estate agent was a client and friend, and my boyfriend is an attorney. It was very helpful.