
cloudberry
Well-known member
Founding Member
Need to try and get this off my chest as its driving me mad, and I dont know what to do.
I own my place, I live in a flat above a shop. I used to run a small business from downstairs. But when I had the breakdown I shut it and have rented it out now for three years. I still live above, and its been my home for over twenty years.
The trouble is that my tenant always wanted to buy the building from me, and when i was ill I very nearly sold it to her. Thank god I came to my senses. She still resents that I own it and not her.
Her lease ran out in early April and she can drag negotiations out for up to six months (thats the legal situation). It is to her advantage to do this as the longer she drags it out the longer she stays on the original rent.
Rents have gone up on this avenue by over 50% in the last three years. I know thats a lot, but that is how it is. Naturally I want a fair rent increase in line with other shops here. Naturally, she doesnt!
I have now been approached by another shop keeper who wants to rent my shop and move from where he is a few doors away. He is happy to pay what I am asking and thinks it is very reasonable. He is paying the same for 1/3 of the space. I would much rather have him as a tenant than her. She is a hard nosed woman who takes advantage. A good tenant in that she pays her rent, but nothing else, on time.
As each month goes by I am losing £200 in rent by her delaying, and on top of that, her delaying is running me up a huge legal bill. Its going to cost me at least £1000 to renew this bloody lease at this rate.
Its really affecting my mental health and stressing me out. I hear her down there all day long. I cracked yesterday and put loud music on all day to piss her off. And I have stopped taking her bin out on a Sunday too. Which will inconvenience her too. I just couldnt do it this week. I thought "f*ck you" and just took mine out.
I know its petty, but it made me feel a bit better. She isnt co-operating with me, so why should I save her coming in on a day off?
I darent go out - so my agoraphobia has been triggered - in case I see her. So I am living under seige. I feel she is bullying me. I cant be nice to her. If I see her I am afraid I will be spiteful to her or burst into tears (more likely).
I know the game she is playing. If I was a rich absentee landlady with loads of property I can understand her playing this delaying game. But I am not. I live here, this is my home and I just happen to be her landlady by accident really. I have to live here. I know all the other shop keepers, I've been here years. She is making life very unpleasant for me.
Whereas I told my solicitor I was happy to issue her a new lease back in March. I now do not feel that way now she is doing this. And especially now I have a better prospective tenant.
I have to have only limited reasons to get her out and it will be hard. A battle. But worth it in the end. I wish she would just go.
Its obsessing me. All day every day. She will open her shop up in an hour and then I will either have to listen to her cackling with her customers all day or go up to my bedroom on the top floor.
I have tried over the last three years to get on with her, I sold my powerful stereo and got a small one, I live like a mouse tip-toe-ing around so as not to bother her. She ripped out the false ceilings so noise is a major issue. She could even hear nine week old kittens dashing around. Its that bad.
Then yesterday I cracked, and played music all day and threw a rock around the room and on the floor. A lot. And screamed, and shouted.
It has occured to me that one way out of her lease is that I wasnt in sound mind when I issued it. I was on medication that later caused a seizure and I had to come off it.
Blah blah blah.
thanks for listening, I feel like a total idiot.
Any tea and sympathy very welcome, or hugs. Any advice too very welcome.
cloudberry
miserable
I own my place, I live in a flat above a shop. I used to run a small business from downstairs. But when I had the breakdown I shut it and have rented it out now for three years. I still live above, and its been my home for over twenty years.
The trouble is that my tenant always wanted to buy the building from me, and when i was ill I very nearly sold it to her. Thank god I came to my senses. She still resents that I own it and not her.
Her lease ran out in early April and she can drag negotiations out for up to six months (thats the legal situation). It is to her advantage to do this as the longer she drags it out the longer she stays on the original rent.
Rents have gone up on this avenue by over 50% in the last three years. I know thats a lot, but that is how it is. Naturally I want a fair rent increase in line with other shops here. Naturally, she doesnt!
I have now been approached by another shop keeper who wants to rent my shop and move from where he is a few doors away. He is happy to pay what I am asking and thinks it is very reasonable. He is paying the same for 1/3 of the space. I would much rather have him as a tenant than her. She is a hard nosed woman who takes advantage. A good tenant in that she pays her rent, but nothing else, on time.
As each month goes by I am losing £200 in rent by her delaying, and on top of that, her delaying is running me up a huge legal bill. Its going to cost me at least £1000 to renew this bloody lease at this rate.
Its really affecting my mental health and stressing me out. I hear her down there all day long. I cracked yesterday and put loud music on all day to piss her off. And I have stopped taking her bin out on a Sunday too. Which will inconvenience her too. I just couldnt do it this week. I thought "f*ck you" and just took mine out.
I know its petty, but it made me feel a bit better. She isnt co-operating with me, so why should I save her coming in on a day off?
I darent go out - so my agoraphobia has been triggered - in case I see her. So I am living under seige. I feel she is bullying me. I cant be nice to her. If I see her I am afraid I will be spiteful to her or burst into tears (more likely).
I know the game she is playing. If I was a rich absentee landlady with loads of property I can understand her playing this delaying game. But I am not. I live here, this is my home and I just happen to be her landlady by accident really. I have to live here. I know all the other shop keepers, I've been here years. She is making life very unpleasant for me.
Whereas I told my solicitor I was happy to issue her a new lease back in March. I now do not feel that way now she is doing this. And especially now I have a better prospective tenant.
I have to have only limited reasons to get her out and it will be hard. A battle. But worth it in the end. I wish she would just go.
Its obsessing me. All day every day. She will open her shop up in an hour and then I will either have to listen to her cackling with her customers all day or go up to my bedroom on the top floor.
I have tried over the last three years to get on with her, I sold my powerful stereo and got a small one, I live like a mouse tip-toe-ing around so as not to bother her. She ripped out the false ceilings so noise is a major issue. She could even hear nine week old kittens dashing around. Its that bad.
Then yesterday I cracked, and played music all day and threw a rock around the room and on the floor. A lot. And screamed, and shouted.
It has occured to me that one way out of her lease is that I wasnt in sound mind when I issued it. I was on medication that later caused a seizure and I had to come off it.
Blah blah blah.
thanks for listening, I feel like a total idiot.
Any tea and sympathy very welcome, or hugs. Any advice too very welcome.
cloudberry
miserable