A notice to quit, and five more years on Federal Hill

What happened

A tailor had traded from the same shop on Federal Hill for nineteen years. The building changed hands, and the new owner served a notice to quit, saying the lease had run out. A coffee chain had already been shown round.

What I did

The lease gave the tenant an option to renew, to be exercised in writing. He had done that two years earlier and kept the certified mail receipt in a shoebox. I sent a copy with a one-page letter and filed an answer in the District Court.

How it ended

The landlord withdrew the notice before the hearing. The lease runs for five more years at the rent in the original agreement, and the landlord paid my client’s costs.