Hi everyone,
I’m a small business owner in the Bronx and I’m dealing with serious issues in my commercial lease space. The shop has constant flooding, mold, pests, and structural problems that the landlord hasn’t addressed. The basement is completely unusable, and I’ve had to pay for off site storage because of it. The mold is being painted over, not treated.
I also have a $25,000 deposit on the line, and the lease is extremely landlord favored. They told us by phone and email that we didn’t have to pay one month’s rent, but now they’re billing us anyway and I was told that kind of agreement likely won’t hold up in court.
I’m not trying to walk away if I don’t have to, but I do want to explore:
- Whether any part of the lease is challengeable
- If I can push for rent reduction or early termination
- What rights I have as a commercial tenant in NYC
- How to protect or recover my deposit if needed
I’ve tried legal aid and law school clinics, but most of them are either closed or said they don’t handle small business cases. Any advice, experience, or referrals to tenant-friendly commercial lawyers would be appreciated.
Thanks so much.
Location: Bronx NY