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GREEDY LANDLORD INCREASES RENT BY 45%


i love my narrowboat

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But isn't the chandlery at Venetian run by Kings Lock at Middlewich?

 

No. There isn't a chandlery at Venetian. It was all moved to King's Lock. Don't know the circumstances but the former chandlery is now an antiques centre. Poor choice of location in my opinion. Zero passing trade and quite hard to find by road if you are deliberately going there.

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From what you say, he appears to have had a ten year lease with no rent rises. A 45% rise on renewal seems pretty reasonable to me. I doubt it even keeps up with inflation over that period.

 

Mike

 

This would imply that a 45% rise over 10 years would be fair, I doubt my employer would consider it fair should I demand a 45% rise. :lol:

 

He would probably suggest the 4.5% rise he gave me over the last 10 years was more than reasonable ;)

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I have observed these posts and tried to keep back from adding to them, but I feel a few errors need correcting and a few facts stating:

 

The lease had been increased during it's term. The increase offered for a new lease was way out of proportion.

 

A new lease was only offered (and has now been taken) for a 3 year term. (The new tenants may be likewise ejected in 3 years!)

 

The lease offer to me was withdrawn - I had no further opportunity to negotiate.

 

Interested parties were told that new tenants must be experienced chandlers and would be offered the first year FREE and a similar rent to mine for second and third years.

 

The new tenants (previously known to the landlord) have, to the best of my knowledge, NO previous chandlery experience.

 

I will continue to trade as 'The Canal Shop' and 'Whilton Chandlery' using a building in the next yard to the marina beside lock 12 as a base. Our online presence remains www.canalshoponline.co.uk and our phone number will remain as before.

 

I would like to thank all those who have put good comments about me on here and would hope to be able to serve you all for the foreseeable future, based on the 21 years I have had in the industry.

  • Greenie 2
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This would imply that a 45% rise over 10 years would be fair, I doubt my employer would consider it fair should I demand a 45% rise. :lol:

 

He would probably suggest the 4.5% rise he gave me over the last 10 years was more than reasonable ;)

You work for the Co-Op as well.

:)

 

I have observed these posts and tried to keep back from adding to them, but I feel a few errors need correcting and a few facts stating:

 

The lease had been increased during it's term. The increase offered for a new lease was way out of proportion.

 

A new lease was only offered (and has now been taken) for a 3 year term. (The new tenants may be likewise ejected in 3 years!)

 

The lease offer to me was withdrawn - I had no further opportunity to negotiate.

 

Interested parties were told that new tenants must be experienced chandlers and would be offered the first year FREE and a similar rent to mine for second and third years.

 

The new tenants (previously known to the landlord) have, to the best of my knowledge, NO previous chandlery experience.

 

I will continue to trade as 'The Canal Shop' and 'Whilton Chandlery' using a building in the next yard to the marina beside lock 12 as a base. Our online presence remains www.canalshoponline.co.uk and our phone number will remain as before.

 

I would like to thank all those who have put good comments about me on here and would hope to be able to serve you all for the foreseeable future, based on the 21 years I have had in the industry.

I wish you well with your new location and I'm sure your loyal custom will follow you.

:)

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err - what about the multiple references to the 'marina that shall not be named' in all the previous posts.....

 

There are one or two references but on subjects aside from the main topic and expressing opinions rather that statements of supposed fact that could attract legal action.

 

If I have missed anything do let me know.

 

Nick

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Rack-rent landlords were the bane of Ireland for centuries. Eventually the Irish simply burned them all out and suddenly the economy blossomed. Perhaps it will come to that here some day.

 

:clapping:

 

Can we hire some to come over here, or are they already present as in ex-Dale Farm occupants...

 

Mike (half Irish)

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Whilton <Marina has this statement:-

 

"The Chandlery will re-open under new management on Monday 23rd January 2012, business as usual.

 

The chandlery will be operated by Stephen Simcoe (Bim) and Tom Trussler who are well known local people. Having worked as marine engineers for most of their working lives, they both bring a wealth of expertise to the chandlery, with a combined experience of over 40 years on the canal system. Tom Trusler is a former employee of Whilton Marina. While Bim worked for Springer Engineering all through the 1980's and has been invloved in and around the canal industry ever since. Tom having been a residential boat owner in the past, whilst Bim being a qualified Boat Safety Examiner and a residential boat owner for many years, they will be able to give knowledgeable and experienced advice on your boating requirements.

 

The shop will be selling all the usual chandlery goods as well as homemade farm produce, making it a one stop shop for boaters and very useful shop to local people in the area.

 

Both Bim and Tom would like to welcome all customers past and present to visit the shop on Sunday 22nd January for a hot drink and a chat. Whilst the chandlery will not be open for trading until the 23rd, they would very much welcome anbody to come in and say hello.

 

Whilton Marina very much welcome the new management and wish them every success in their new venture."

 

I do know that when we have visited the (old) chandlery Richard and others were very nice and polite - which is often difficult when being asked silly questions and me slagging off his folding bikes (but they are rubbish IMHO). Good luck for the future - a farm shop as well eh? Isn't there one just a few locks up - and you can moor outside, and for the night. We also visited Minnovois and Anjou whilst there but if our boat buy comes off won't be needing to hire.

 

I guess we will never know the real reasons for the change but life moves on...........

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Rack-rent landlords were the bane of Ireland for centuries. Eventually the Irish simply burned them all out and suddenly the economy blossomed. Perhaps it will come to that here some day.

 

 

What do you mean by a rack-rent landlord please Pent?

 

Rank rent just means the agreed rent for a place AFAICR. So why would a LL charging the same rent as the tenancy agreement be a 'bane'? Or does it actually mean something else?

 

Mike

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What do you mean by a rack-rent landlord please Pent?

 

Rank rent just means the agreed rent for a place AFAICR. So why would a LL charging the same rent as the tenancy agreement be a 'bane'? Or does it actually mean something else?

 

Mike

Rack or Rackman a Mr Rackman ''Rackmanism''named after Mr Rackman who was an old gangland character of the 1950-60's i think, that extorted ridiculously high rents from immigrants and prostitutes for the rent of tiny rooms with no facilities in converted large houses that he owned in the west end of London.His rent collectors were heavy gangland thugs.'' Rackmanism'' became a new Oxford dictionary word because of this.

 

Correction;- His name was Peter Rachman, ''Rachmanism''.

Edited by bizzard
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Rack or Rackman a Mr Rackman ''Rackmanism''named after Mr Rackman who was an old gangland character of the 1950-60's i think, that extorted ridiculously high rents from immigrants and prostitutes for the rent of tiny rooms with no facilities in converted large houses that he owned in the west end of London.His rent collectors were heavy gangland thugs.'' Rackmanism'' became a new Oxford dictionary word because of this.

 

Correction;- His name was Peter Rachman, ''Rachmanism''.

Landlords have to charge prostitutes extra rent because with a prostitute residing in their property the building isn't insured.

:)

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Rack or Rackman a Mr Rackman ''Rackmanism''named after Mr Rackman who was an old gangland character of the 1950-60's i think, that extorted ridiculously high rents from immigrants and prostitutes for the rent of tiny rooms with no facilities in converted large houses that he owned in the west end of London.His rent collectors were heavy gangland thugs.'' Rackmanism'' became a new Oxford dictionary word because of this.

 

Correction;- His name was Peter Rachman, ''Rachmanism''.

 

Just a bit of pedantry: according to various on-line dictionaries 'rack rent' officially means open-market rent - or what the property would be worth in rent if put onto the open market.

That's probably often a lot more than the rent being paid by a tenant which has led to the alternative 'extortionate rent' meaning. That usage, in turn, predates the evil Rachman and is reckoned to have its roots in the medieval torture rack.

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"Rack" rate just means, I think, standard rate. The expression is widely used in relation to hotel rooms. For example a cut-price hotel rooms web site will state a "rack rate" of, say, £100 for a room followed by their own lower price.

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Landlords have to charge prostitutes extra rent because with a prostitute residing in their property the building isn't insured.

:)

 

Plus, the prostitutes sub-let their rooms on an hourly basis :o

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No. There isn't a chandlery at Venetian. It was all moved to King's Lock. Don't know the circumstances but the former chandlery is now an antiques centre. Poor choice of location in my opinion. Zero passing trade and quite hard to find by road if you are deliberately going there.

 

I think that the circumstances could very well be the old cardinal business sin of trying to run before you can walk, so to speak.

 

We bought our first narrow boat from the then Venetian Brokerage that was situated within the chandlery . The owner was running around like a headless chicken and appeared to be a very good candidate for a heart attack.

 

We also bought some white goods from the store that were termed as 'bargains'. One of which, a 12 volt fridge, lasted only 2 months before failing due to refrigerant leakage. Upon reporting this fault to the retailer, he told us that our only recourse was to return the unit back to Ladywood in Birmingham, where the fridges are converted from 230v to 12v.

 

This advice we naively followed, whereby the fridge was re-charged with refrigerant, tested (externally) for leaks, then passed as fit for use. It lasted a couple of weeks before failing again. After months of legal wrangling with the retailer, based upon the abuse of our consumer rights, we withdrew due to my wife's health issues.

 

This type of poor after sales service could also have been instrumental in the demise of the chandlery.

 

Mike

Edited by Doorman
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I think that the circumstances could very well be the old cardinal business sin of trying to run before you can walk, so to speak.

 

We bought our first narrow boat from the then Venetian Brokerage that was situated within the chandlery . The owner was running around like a headless chicken and appeared to be a very good candidate for a heart attack.

 

We also bought some white goods from the store that were termed as 'bargains'. One of which, a 12 volt fridge, lasted only 2 months before failing due to refrigerant leakage. Upon reporting this fault to the retailer, he told us that our only recourse was to return the unit back to Ladywood in Birmingham, where the fridges are converted from 230v to 12v.

 

This advice we naively followed, whereby the fridge was re-charged with refrigerant, tested (externally) for leaks, then passed as fit for use. It lasted a couple of weeks before failing again. After months of legal wrangling with the retailer, based upon the abuse of our consumer rights, we withdrew due to my wife's health issues.

 

This type of poor after sales service could also have been instrumental in the demise of the chandlery.

 

Mike

 

The chandlery still exists. It has relocated along with the boat brokerage to Kings Lock. If I remember correctly it was this time last year. The shop assistant said something about reducing costs. Prior to that they were operating from both sites.

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"Rack" rate just means, I think, standard rate. The expression is widely used in relation to hotel rooms. For example a cut-price hotel rooms web site will state a "rack rate" of, say, £100 for a room followed by their own lower price.

 

The meaning of 'rack-rent' has changed considerably over the years. Rack-rent was the term applied to the payment demanded for dwellings or land from the early fifteenth century. Feudalism become unworkable after the bubonic plague years 1348 - 50 where payment by service became unviable and therefore rent was paid to the landlord in lieu of service not rendered for which there was a framework of charges (or rack). There are documents in the archive in Coventry relating to payments made for the Bishop's Half dating from the early 1400s which have sliding scales of payment. The payment of rack-rent therefore has two elements, payment for dwelling and payment for service not rendered. If the landlord was the Church, then a third element could also be paid - the tithe - within the rent, like a pre-payment against income if you worked within a cash-based economy as most of the Guild member in Coventry did.

 

Rack-rent is a recognised legal term and is still used occasionally. Although the charge may be seen as extortionate as those paying rack-rent tend to be driven toward a subsistence form of lifestyle, nonetheless the popular association of 'rack-rent' with the mediaeval form of torture dates from the late 16th century and probably corresponds with landholders increasing rents as part of the development of early merchantilism and the gradual change from a feudal economy to one largely driven by cash.

 

This meaning has been further reinforced by the action of Peter Rachmann but this is a distinct form of economic activity - Rachman was adept at forcing sitting tenants out of rent-controlled properties to move unprotected tenants in - sub-dividing properties to increase rental income. Rachman's modus was therefore economically exploitative of the weak and vulnerable rather than criminal - although it would appear that compulsory 'relocation' of sitting tenants was not unknown. Rachman died in 1962 and much of the violence that is traditionally ascribed to his behaviour seems to have taken place after his death by less clever landlords. I can't recall if Rachman was ever prosecuted and I think not. We probably only know about him because his mistress was one Christine Keeler who featured in the Profumo Scandal of 1963.

  • Greenie 1
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The meaning of 'rack-rent' has changed considerably over the years. Rack-rent was the term applied to the payment demanded for dwellings or land from the early fifteenth century. Feudalism become unworkable after the bubonic plague years 1348 - 50 where payment by service became unviable and therefore rent was paid to the landlord in lieu of service not rendered for which there was a framework of charges (or rack). There are documents in the archive in Coventry relating to payments made for the Bishop's Half dating from the early 1400s which have sliding scales of payment. The payment of rack-rent therefore has two elements, payment for dwelling and payment for service not rendered. If the landlord was the Church, then a third element could also be paid - the tithe - within the rent, like a pre-payment against income if you worked within a cash-based economy as most of the Guild member in Coventry did.

 

Rack-rent is a recognised legal term and is still used occasionally. Although the charge may be seen as extortionate as those paying rack-rent tend to be driven toward a subsistence form of lifestyle, nonetheless the popular association of 'rack-rent' with the mediaeval form of torture dates from the late 16th century and probably corresponds with landholders increasing rents as part of the development of early merchantilism and the gradual change from a feudal economy to one largely driven by cash.

 

This meaning has been further reinforced by the action of Peter Rachmann but this is a distinct form of economic activity - Rachman was adept at forcing sitting tenants out of rent-controlled properties to move unprotected tenants in - sub-dividing properties to increase rental income. Rachman's modus was therefore economically exploitative of the weak and vulnerable rather than criminal - although it would appear that compulsory 'relocation' of sitting tenants was not unknown. Rachman died in 1962 and much of the violence that is traditionally ascribed to his behaviour seems to have taken place after his death by less clever landlords. I can't recall if Rachman was ever prosecuted and I think not. We probably only know about him because his mistress was one Christine Keeler who featured in the Profumo Scandal of 1963.

As far as I know he was never prosecuted but sadly his tactics are used by some marina owners.

  • Greenie 1
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Is there something you want to tell us Mike...... :lol:

 

Albert.

 

:lol::lol:

 

Could never afford their rates!

 

I did once do a quote for security shutters on a brothel in a small Lancashire town though and was given the benefit of being led around the place by a scantilly clad young lady of the night in order to measure up for the job.

 

I didn't quite know whether the security shutters were meant to keep the angry neighbours out, or, keep the happy customers in! :o

 

 

 

The chandlery still exists. It has relocated along with the boat brokerage to Kings Lock. If I remember correctly it was this time last year. The shop assistant said something about reducing costs. Prior to that they were operating from both sites.

 

And in doing so, spreading themselves too thinly on the ground. :rolleyes:

Edited by Doorman
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