Property Management

Property problems: Wording of lease the key to brothel tenancy

Q. My family trust owns a property in central Auckland. One of the tenants (who has used a floor for his offices) is leaving for new premises and has told me he will be assigning his lease.

Monday, January 26th 2004

I have learned who he is negotiating with and from my inquiries have good reason to believe that party proposes to establish a massage parlour in the building.

This horrifies me (and more particularly, my wife and children). Can I stop this happening?

A. You have raised a very interesting issue. This has become more relevant to many landlords and tenants given the recent legalisation of prostitution (since most leases would prohibit a tenant from carrying out illegal activities within the premises).

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