ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — When Angela Thomas opened her hair salon seven years ago, she said she never expected her building to have an issue that would take her years to uncover.
But now that she has, she’s packing up. She claims her landlord is refusing to help pay for the cost of repairs.
“I just never thought this was going to happen to me,” Thomas, owner of ‘Angela Joy & Co. Hair Salon’ in St. Augustine, said, “We love our space, and that’s what I told my landlord. I love my location. I am just shocked that this is where we’re being left.”
Thomas brought Action News Jax into the salon and pointed out areas of her flooring where she said she’s noticed water coming through the cracks in recent months. She told us that ever since she opened, her building has been too humid for her and her staff.
“I had an esthetician in here and she quit because it was too hot,” Thomas said.
Earlier this year, Thomas told us she ripped up the tile floors and found a buildup of moisture underneath. She later noticed a crack in the concrete floor of the building, which was recently inspected for leaks. Action News Jax got a copy of the leak inspection report, which said that moisture from the ground has been rising through the crack in the concrete and into the salon, likely for years.
After taking the report to her landlord, Thomas claims he refused to help pay to repair the crack.
“I felt like I came up with as many possible realistic ideas to remedy the problem, and I got no support, no feedback,” said Thomas, “for him to just say he’s not going to help me, it’s disgusting.”
Thomas said the water issue has caused the humidity in her building to be unbearable for both her and her staff. She told us she can’t keep working inside, but she also can’t afford to pay for it herself, so she feels like she has no choice but to leave.
Action News Jax found there is nothing written into Florida law saying that landlords of commercial properties are required to make repairs for their tenants. We then turned to Ansbacher Law, a Jacksonville-based firm that specializes in commercial property cases, and was told that Thomas’ case reflects a lack of protection for small business owners in Florida.
“It is extremely common that there are fights on who’s responsible for what,” Zach Roth, an attorney at Ansbacher Law, said, “on commercial tenancies, that’s all deferred to the lease itself.”
Thomas gave a copy of her lease to Action News Jax, and it reads that she is responsible for all repairs that are required for the building except for those involving the roof, exterior walls, and the foundation. Since the water buildup issue is a floor problem, Roth said there’s nothing that can be done in this case.
“Leases generally exist to protect the landlord. There are very few provisions in a lease that are in there for the benefit of the tenant,” Roth said.
Roth told Action News Jax that small business owners should always consult a lawyer before signing off on a new lease, mostly to make sure there’s nothing that leaves them unprotected.
“So often, people focus on the location. They don’t really pay attention to who they’re going into a long-term contract with,” Roth said.
Angela is now working to relocate herself and her staff. She started a fundraiser to help cover the costs of moving into a new building, once she finds it.
“I’m doing everything I can to keep us all together, because that’s what’s really important to me. We’re a family, and I love my girls. And I wouldn’t be here without them,” Thomas said.
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