- Original Poster
- #1
Hello,
Brief backstory. We have two limited companies, took on a unit in 2017 ish.....unit was cheap due to its very poor condition, fine, they said as long as it wasn't left in a worse condition, that was fine. We decorated and made some improvements. The unit started to develop water ingress, then flooded due to lack of sufficient drainage, the then landlord suggested me move units, this was in 2020 during lockdown, the alternative unit was bigger and 4K a year more expensive but also in a bad state of repair.
We were handed a tenancy at will in June 2020 when we moved, the then landlord had been happy with the slight improvements we had made in the past and we made very sure at moving stage that they were happy to accept the unit back at end of lease as long as the condition wasn't any worse. We made a lot of costly improvements, mostly to the floor which needed a huge machine to remove tile adhesive etc, we then painted the floor. Decorated, cleaned it, replaced a door and some glass etc etc etc.
August 2020 we were provided with a new tenancy, no solicitors open so we had the signatures witnessed by the occupier of the unit next door, they have recently had to leave their unit prior to the end of their lease, read into that what you will, however we don't want to do that, we owe no creditors (apart from ourselves) we owe nothing to any suppliers, I have always said I would not liquidate or whatever it is called.
2023 Landlord sells up and it has just gone downhill. The tenancy is still in the name of the old landlord, the new landlord wasn't vat registered, we questioned their agent why we weren't being charged VAT and was told the VAT was included, clearly it wasn't.
We were sent a huge VAT bill, everyone on the estate was, and this is part of the reason why businesses on the estate are leaving prematurely.
We paid 12 months Landlords insurance December 22, the new landlord in August 23 billed us an extortionate Landlords insurance bill, we questioned it and they said to get the money back from the old landlord.
We were then charged ridiculous electricity bills, and we paid them, then we were sent duplicate bills, it got to a stage where we couldn't keep up.
We were then sent a bill just short of 1K for charges that they claimed the old landlord hadn't paid. This was a service charge.
They then decided to increase the size of the unit from approx 2,400 sq foot to 3'300 sq foot......they gave us a projected new rental price for the new lease period starting August 25 to in the region of 33k per annum, we currently pay 12K per annum, they then decided they had made an error with the area and reduced it to 2'700. The extra 400 sqft of space isn't workable space as the roof has beams that are an health and safety issue, it can only be used for storage and due to weight resitrictions, not a lot of weight. I said last August that there was no way that we could afford the rent for a new lease and told them that we would have to move out.
They have increased the service charge, they claim that one of the gates (only the one) is closed daily, we dispute this, security is dire. Another reason people are leaving and fly tipping which we are charged for the removal of is ignored.
We have asked for them to repair the leaking roof, they take responsibility for that because apparently it contains asbestos, they have done nothing. The electricians who came to do work in the unit have left holes in what is classed as a fire wall - it is a sheet of metal but we have been told we have to pay for it.
We were told that we would need to decorate when we move out, goes without saying. Remembering that we repaired and painted the floor.
I asked about delapidation, without fully understanding it all, they said we would need to pay for a survey, I said I wouldn't and because we can't actually afford it.
We had an email 24 hours before a "Landlords Inspection" when the nice lad turned up, he told us it was for a dilapidation report.
And this is where I seriously don't know what to do. The extra costs they have thrown at us, the VAT issue, the lot has placed a strain on the business, yet we have paid it all. Agreed to pay in installments, and even then they have sent us bills for payments already made. 27 THOUSAND POUNDS!
They have recorded that the screws in the floor from racking needs to be removed - £1k.........there are no screws in the racking, we sorted those when we did the floor.
Replacement beam that can only have been bent by a forklift before we took on the unit (not our choice) £5K
The roof that is their responsibility has leaked incessantly and they haven't once been to do a repair, the beams are rusty and they were rusty when we moved in, £5K to have them all sandblasted and painted.
X amount for removal of our security system wires - it is a wireless system. Not my wires.
The best one yet........we have to pay for a survey for asbestos on the roof.
According to gov website the EPC ran out August 2020, it was a D. The landlord sent an EPC company in to do an EPC a few months ago, the man was quite confused as to why it was being done whilst we were in situ.....the report hasn't been added to the gov website as far as we can see.
We are now scared to talk to the landlord because they charge like solicitors it would seem. They have since been back and done another inspection, praying that they don't charge us another 4K plus VAT for that too.
I will leave it there with the huge list of improvements they want us to make.
Any help will be much appreciated. I have been advised to strike off both businesses.......BTW the business name is one of our limited companies with the other as a guarantor. So that is 2 limited businesses.....We are a small family business and my son and his wife work within the business.......I have been advised to remove them as directors.
What would you do? What should I do? There isn't enough money left in the businesses right now to pay salaries and so I am paying their salaries out of my own pocket. We have taken on a new unit to move into because I am confident that I can salvage the businesses, I have a new business in the making but as a sole trader, I daren't really launch it under the circumstances.
Thank you to anyone who reads this lengthy post. Please send vodka!!
Brief backstory. We have two limited companies, took on a unit in 2017 ish.....unit was cheap due to its very poor condition, fine, they said as long as it wasn't left in a worse condition, that was fine. We decorated and made some improvements. The unit started to develop water ingress, then flooded due to lack of sufficient drainage, the then landlord suggested me move units, this was in 2020 during lockdown, the alternative unit was bigger and 4K a year more expensive but also in a bad state of repair.
We were handed a tenancy at will in June 2020 when we moved, the then landlord had been happy with the slight improvements we had made in the past and we made very sure at moving stage that they were happy to accept the unit back at end of lease as long as the condition wasn't any worse. We made a lot of costly improvements, mostly to the floor which needed a huge machine to remove tile adhesive etc, we then painted the floor. Decorated, cleaned it, replaced a door and some glass etc etc etc.
August 2020 we were provided with a new tenancy, no solicitors open so we had the signatures witnessed by the occupier of the unit next door, they have recently had to leave their unit prior to the end of their lease, read into that what you will, however we don't want to do that, we owe no creditors (apart from ourselves) we owe nothing to any suppliers, I have always said I would not liquidate or whatever it is called.
2023 Landlord sells up and it has just gone downhill. The tenancy is still in the name of the old landlord, the new landlord wasn't vat registered, we questioned their agent why we weren't being charged VAT and was told the VAT was included, clearly it wasn't.
We were sent a huge VAT bill, everyone on the estate was, and this is part of the reason why businesses on the estate are leaving prematurely.
We paid 12 months Landlords insurance December 22, the new landlord in August 23 billed us an extortionate Landlords insurance bill, we questioned it and they said to get the money back from the old landlord.
We were then charged ridiculous electricity bills, and we paid them, then we were sent duplicate bills, it got to a stage where we couldn't keep up.
We were then sent a bill just short of 1K for charges that they claimed the old landlord hadn't paid. This was a service charge.
They then decided to increase the size of the unit from approx 2,400 sq foot to 3'300 sq foot......they gave us a projected new rental price for the new lease period starting August 25 to in the region of 33k per annum, we currently pay 12K per annum, they then decided they had made an error with the area and reduced it to 2'700. The extra 400 sqft of space isn't workable space as the roof has beams that are an health and safety issue, it can only be used for storage and due to weight resitrictions, not a lot of weight. I said last August that there was no way that we could afford the rent for a new lease and told them that we would have to move out.
They have increased the service charge, they claim that one of the gates (only the one) is closed daily, we dispute this, security is dire. Another reason people are leaving and fly tipping which we are charged for the removal of is ignored.
We have asked for them to repair the leaking roof, they take responsibility for that because apparently it contains asbestos, they have done nothing. The electricians who came to do work in the unit have left holes in what is classed as a fire wall - it is a sheet of metal but we have been told we have to pay for it.
We were told that we would need to decorate when we move out, goes without saying. Remembering that we repaired and painted the floor.
I asked about delapidation, without fully understanding it all, they said we would need to pay for a survey, I said I wouldn't and because we can't actually afford it.
We had an email 24 hours before a "Landlords Inspection" when the nice lad turned up, he told us it was for a dilapidation report.
And this is where I seriously don't know what to do. The extra costs they have thrown at us, the VAT issue, the lot has placed a strain on the business, yet we have paid it all. Agreed to pay in installments, and even then they have sent us bills for payments already made. 27 THOUSAND POUNDS!
They have recorded that the screws in the floor from racking needs to be removed - £1k.........there are no screws in the racking, we sorted those when we did the floor.
Replacement beam that can only have been bent by a forklift before we took on the unit (not our choice) £5K
The roof that is their responsibility has leaked incessantly and they haven't once been to do a repair, the beams are rusty and they were rusty when we moved in, £5K to have them all sandblasted and painted.
X amount for removal of our security system wires - it is a wireless system. Not my wires.
The best one yet........we have to pay for a survey for asbestos on the roof.
According to gov website the EPC ran out August 2020, it was a D. The landlord sent an EPC company in to do an EPC a few months ago, the man was quite confused as to why it was being done whilst we were in situ.....the report hasn't been added to the gov website as far as we can see.
We are now scared to talk to the landlord because they charge like solicitors it would seem. They have since been back and done another inspection, praying that they don't charge us another 4K plus VAT for that too.
I will leave it there with the huge list of improvements they want us to make.
Any help will be much appreciated. I have been advised to strike off both businesses.......BTW the business name is one of our limited companies with the other as a guarantor. So that is 2 limited businesses.....We are a small family business and my son and his wife work within the business.......I have been advised to remove them as directors.
What would you do? What should I do? There isn't enough money left in the businesses right now to pay salaries and so I am paying their salaries out of my own pocket. We have taken on a new unit to move into because I am confident that I can salvage the businesses, I have a new business in the making but as a sole trader, I daren't really launch it under the circumstances.
Thank you to anyone who reads this lengthy post. Please send vodka!!
