Billboard bluster brings rent dispute into the open
Landlord, marketing company submit competing sets of court documents
A rent dispute between two Regina companies has spilled out into the public sphere, after a property owner mocked Brown Communications Group on a billboard.
The billboard, located at the site of Brown’s former offices on Albert Street, reads as follows: “’Breaking boundaries’ but not paying rent? Whoops! Seems Brown dropped the ball on their way downtown.”
Brown Communications, which moved to new lodgings on 12th Avenue earlier this year, was well known for displaying its design work at its Albert Street location. The imagery of the current billboard appears to play on the trademark circles associated with the company’s logo.
According to Ken Christoffel, CEO of Brown Communications, the billboard went up following a lawsuit the company launched against its former landlord. It concerns a dispute over how rent was calculated for the property.
“They chose to put up the billboard in response to that,” Christoffel said. “I guess that’s their choice to make. It’s not something I would do.
“We’ve tried not to stir up the muck.”
But Brown, a Regina-based marketing firm, did respond by posting its own virtual billboard on its Facebook page. It states simply that there are “two signs to every story.”
There are also two competing sets of court filings. In a statement of claim filed on Sept. 14, Brown sued a numbered company known as 102005100 Saskatchewan Ltd., alleging it calculated rent “based on an incorrect measurement” of rentable area.
It also alleged that representatives of the numbered company entered Brown’s premises without consent, as required by the lease, and then changed the locks without advance notice or lawful cause.
The property owner denied all of those allegations in its own filings. It then countersued, claiming Brown owed more than $60,000 in outstanding rent and other charges.
“Brown wrongfully, and in breach of the Lease, determined that it had been overpaying rent and unilaterally decided to credit itself and stop paying its rent as it became due,” the counterclaim states.
Brown denied that in its own filings. None of the allegations has been proven in court.
The billboard remains visible on Albert Street. Christoffel said Brown is considering “other legal action” relating to the billboard.
The billboard space was used by Brown for years to display inspirational messages like “Where does creativity come from? Imagination!” In a Facebook post, Brown expressed dismay at what had become of it.
“It’s a shame to see that board used for such a negative purpose,” it said, “especially after so many years of positive creativity and community support advertising.”