QLD Commercial Lease Locked Out by Landlord - What to Do?

[Zoe69]

My partner had a commercial lease. He broke up with his ex and let his dad do the books in his company. He thought his dad was paying his bills but never did.

Well, the factory rent is 26 days behind. We had no idea. The landlord never rang emailed or got in contact with us. Then my partner went to go to work one morning and the landlord changed the locks with no notice at all

Now that his dad had got my partner out of the factory, he has paid the rent in hope to take the business over, so the landlord still has my partner locked out even now the rent is paid up but my partner's dad has no part if the rental. It's in my partner name.

 

[Iamthelaw]

What sort of premises is it? Are you sure its not a retail lease? I would be seeing a solicitor ASAP and applying for relief against forfeiture. If the business has suffered financial loss, you may also be entitled to compensation if successful and provided that the court finds that termination wasn't effected properly.

Based on what you've said it seems as though the landlord hasn't followed the strict guidelines imposed - Notice is required prior the lockout of a tenant. Moreover, I'm not sure about QLD but 26 days does not sound like an appropriate time frame to issue a default or effect a lock out (as has happened in this case).