in the agreement we signed, we are supposed to pay rates and outgoings. What's included in outgoings??
Whatever it says in your Lease. No point asking anybody on here as they haven't read it. If you are looking for a "standard" or a "normal" answer, there is no such thing.
It will boil down to you having to actually read what it says. You will be far wiser once having read it. (
I'm naturally assuming, despite having signed it, you are like most people, because you are asking the question you haven't read it). Brace yourself Nelly...it's gonna hurt
recently the toilet in the commercial building was faulty, a plumber came and fixed it. The owner refused to pay saying it is our responsibility. is he right?
No-one on here can possibly answer this, as they haven't read your Lease. Are you under some assumption that the Owner needs to pay ?? Are you currently wearing your Commercial Tenant's hat ??
I find my Commercial Tenant's take about 9 to 12 months of training before they realise they aren't wearing the "pick up the phone to fix something and the Landlord will come running....and also pay for" hat. It takes even longer if say, you are dealing with some operations manager who wasn't involved with the signing of the Lease. They naturally assume it's the same as renting a house.
The natural reaction once they find out what they are really up for, always turn around and say - "Well, if that's the case, why didn't we just buy it." Indeed....a question for your boss I suppose. The answer of course is that the boss who signed the Lease would rather employ his capital elsewhere - presumably receiving a much larger return that just owning the commercial premises.
is the fixing of toilet part of the outgoing ??
No, but if you typically look at roughly section 5, there will be a huge big list of maintenance items that you are required to do.....it will go on for pages and pages. In there, will most likely be that you are responsible for not only the toilets, but also all the plumbing fixtures and pipes in and even under the building.
Count yourself lucky it was only a toilet. One day the main sewer line might explode, and you'll be up for fixing that too....and that'll be in the 100's of thousands, not just 100's. As I said, brace yourself Nelly.
I'd strongly suggest you pay the plumber, and then immediately get back to concentrating on your business making revenue from whatever activity you do there, rather than nickel and dime your Landlord.