There are significant differences between commercial and residential leases. Therefore, landlords must handle violations and evictions differently.
Tenants can breach a lease agreement in several ways, and the damages are often costly.
Breaching the commercial lease agreement
Eviction can be especially devastating to a business, but when a tenant breaks a commercial lease, the eviction guidelines laid out in the rental agreement are enforceable. Business owners often negotiate the terms of eviction, which makes every lease agreement different. However, some common violations include:
- Renovating the building without approval
- Not paying rent
- Subletting
- Not carrying the required insurance
- Failing to take care of the building
- Negatively affecting other commercial tenants in a shared building
- Not remaining code compliant
Some violations, such as criminal actions or code violations, may warrant an eviction even if not stated in the lease. In general, any violation of the law could lead to eviction.
Potential damages resulting from an eviction case
If your commercial tenant does violate the lease agreement, resulting in an eviction, some damages you could recover include:
- Eviction costs
- Cost of repair or replacement of any damaged property
- Unpaid rent or use of the security deposit
- Remaining payments specific to the terms of the lease agreement
- Property storage costs if the tenant leaves anything behind
This list is not comprehensive. Every situation is different, and the damages you claim depend on the details of your case.
When dealing with a non-compliant tenant, landlords can enforce their rights. When negotiating with the tenant does not work, you may need to begin the eviction process.
