Been asked to pay half towards a salon lease?

[shellbert]

Hi everyone
I've been contacted today by the landlady of a small salon I'm looking to lease off her. She's updated me with the progress of the lease as it has been taking a long time.
As the property is in her pension fund - she has to have a lease arranged and also with the pension people's solicitors which has proven to be quite expensive. So she told me that a friend of hers is buying the property and getting the lease done through his solicitor that will be cheaper and rent terms stay the same for me.
I was then told that the lease arrangement will be roughly £650 plus vat, and I will need to pay half. I didn't say anything at that time as I wanted to check with my partner first who's family businesses rent out property. He said it was absurd to have me pay toward the lease arrangement and that should be the landlords cost not mine.
Anyone else had to do this?
X

 

[Lpolky]

Will you be on the lease agreement paperwork? If not and your just like renting a room etc then don't think you should be paying extra, only your weekly/monthly rent etc.

If there is a contract for you for renting s room you could offer to pay something up front to help but then your monthly rent should be delayed.
Not sure if this helps x

 

[shellbert]

Yes I will be on the paperwork, as it's a lease of the property.

 

[beautyxperts]

No you shouldn't be paying anything towards their legal contracts - that's part of a landlords business not yours. You are the one who has to agree to the terms of the contract.
I would make sure you read over it before you sign, you within your rights to have a solicitor read through it and advise you accordingly. Such as do you have a get out early clause for you, such as after 12 months if it isn't working you can give notice? Etc.

 

[fab fingers]

I had to pay all the costs of setting up my lease. It was more than you were quoted. I'm in Scotland though, so maybe different up here? My solicitor told me it used to be typical up here for the new tenant to pay to draw up the lease....but it's now less common. I knew this in advance, so was able to negotiate my rent and terms knowing I'd be paying this, so I'd say if you can try to recoup some of it elsewhere, it may work out fine. Just be careful though, as I'd added a bit onto the quote I was given... and just as well, as the fee is not usually set. It's the hourly fee of the amount of hours the lawyer thinks it will take. If he/she spends more time on it, the fee goes up. Up here there were also fees to register the lease, etc, too.