Legal Question in Business Law in Illinois

Unfair and exorbitant charges to terminate the business relationship.

A company wants to terminate its relationship with its current supplier of exhibit services. To do this all of the company's properties must be moved from the current supplier's storage facility. The incumbant supplier is charging more than triple the standard amount for just the labor to pull out the various crates, skids and components and load them onto the trucks for the move. It can take one forklift operator up to two full 8 hr days to perform this task. Most estimates for this work, performed in a union shop in our area would run in the $3000-4000 price range. The trucks are contracted and paid for separately by the client, not the exhibithouse. The company is being billed $16,000 by the incumbant for this service and feels like it is being held hostage or being penalized for terminating the relationship. One year ago the client moved from another exhibithouse, which is considered to be the priciest in the area, and was charged $5000 to load out the same properties. Both shops are staffed by union labor and operate in the same general area. (Chgo suburbs) These excessive charges are certainly unethical. Are they illegal?


Asked on 1/05/05, 2:47 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Zedrick Braden III Ainsworth & Associates PC

Re: Unfair and exorbitant charges to terminate the business relationship.

Hello. You certainly are being taken advantage of. Clearly, the storeagehouse owners are attempting to get what profits they can from the

company since they know that the business relationship is over. Under the circumstances,

I doubt if the Office of the State's Attorney

would want to consider this a matter for it

to step into. This situation is of a civil

nature and the company may want to consider filing

a lawsuit against the storeage house for breach

of contract/fraud, etc. Also, filing a complaint

for an injunction against the excessive charge

may be an option. This can be filed just like

any other lawsuit. I will be more than happy

to answer any additional questions that you might

have.

Read more
Answered on 1/08/05, 3:45 am


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