Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in Virginia

Living in a commercial building...is it legal?

Is it legal to allow a tenant to reside in a commercial building? A fellow tenant is living in thier retail space which consists of open retail area and a bathroom with sink and toilet only. They say the Landlord is aware. Our utilities are on the same meter. I am required by my lease, to pay 60% of the total bill since my space is slightly larger. When I agreed to this no one was renting the space & I had no idea that this situation would evolve. They negotiated a lease which includes utilities, giving them no incentive to conserve energy & they are using the utilities around the clock. This results in a higher bill for me, over which I have no control. As an upscale gift/home decor retailer, I am also concerned about public relations. We moved to this location feeling the upscale quality of the building, would bring us the right clientele. I am concerned that this situation may damage that image & as a result, affect my business. Do I have any recourse?


Asked on 6/10/03, 2:14 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys

Michael Hendrickson Law Office Michael E. Hendrickson

Re: Living in a commercial building...is it legal?

Instead of relying on the word of a fellow tenant, why not contact the landlord directly for answers to these questions? And if the landlord in evasive or less than forthcoming in his answers, you should then contact the public agency or authority responsible for regulating this commercial space in the city or county where you live to see whether this arrangement may violate local zoning and/or housing ordinances.

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Answered on 6/10/03, 2:45 pm


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