A client recently wanted to move his company to a new office building and had me look over the lease agreement. I found the following provision in the lease:
“Water may only be removed from the water pipes for your own use in the normal amount.”
First, I wondered what the landlord could have possibly meant and what exactly they are aiming to prevent with such a provision. Are they worried that our client will pose as a competitor to the local public utility services or open a waterworks facility that is fed from the taps in his office? Or that, instead of working every day, he’ll sit at his window with a fire hose and spray gallons upon gallons of water onto the street?
And what in the world is with the phrase “… only for your own use…”? I think if I ever visit this client at his new office, I’ll take a bucket of water with me. Maybe I’ll need to go to the bathroom or wash my hands. And we don’t want our client to violate his lease by allowing me to use his toilet.
