Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in Missouri

I put a deposit on a commercial space expecting to be able to have 100% access to the space for business purposes. Two days after the landlord accepted the deposit, she then told me that she had legal contracts for 16 days of events that would be held in my rental space. She would agree to compensate me a portion of the rent on those days, but that since she previously contracted them with other people for the entire day, I would not be able to hold my business on those days. I had to accept that I would lose all income for my business on those days...mostly Saturdays and some Fridays. I told her this was unacceptable. She is now consulting an attorney to see how much of my deposit she is obligated to return. What are my rights here? Is she entitled to any of that deposit? I was never given a key to the space.


Asked on 2/09/10, 2:16 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Anthony Smith LawSmith

Have your own attorney write a letter to the landlord stating that if she returns your entire deposit within five days, she will not have to compensate you for the extra costs of finding and securing a new business space. The letter might also mention that she could choose to stick with your deal and compensate the part-time renters for their losses of having to find a new space to rent. Or, she could stick the with the deal, keep your rental payment, and pass 90% of what she is getting from the part-time renters to you. If you wait and just take what she gives you, you will probably get ripped off.

Good luck

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Answered on 2/14/10, 5:45 pm


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