The plaintiffs alleged they had entered into a four-year lease of rural property to operate a horse boarding and breeding business and claimed the landlords were obliged to repair and complete the barn and related facilities before rent became payable.
They sought damages for lost profits after the property allegedly remained unusable.
The defendants denied any such agreement, asserting that only limited draft leases existed and that the only executed lease concerned the residential portion of the property.
The court found no agreement requiring the defendants to complete repairs and held that the draft leases, which imposed repair obligations on the tenants and contemplated shorter terms, were the best evidence of the parties’ intentions.
The plaintiffs’ claim was dismissed, possession was ordered to the defendant companies, and judgment was granted on the counterclaim for unpaid rent relating to the house lease.
