Hi all,
I think I just got “tricked/scammed” into signing a what was supposed to be a very simple contract by a company that is ran by 5 old folks in their 60s/70s. Stubborn heads and it’s been impossible to talk to them.
I was doing contract and consulting work for them in 2024. At the time after i finished a short stint with them i also needed an office space to store my tools for a different side job. Their warehouse has plenty of space so since i know them i asked to pay rent to store my things in their secured warehouse.
This is where things get SUPER slimy and stressful. After my consulting work was done, I was still renting the “office” per the contract wording to store my items. Sublease contract stated some mumbo jumbo like I was signing onto their company as an actual contractor and a non compete clause. Not sure why it was structured this way but i didn’t fight it because i thought i was signing a rental agreement, not a non compete agreement where i was doing contract work for them in the future (yes i did 2 jobs for them in past).
So after they stopped hiring me for the consult job I found another job at another company full time. It is about 70% similar to their business but not exact. I suspect they really hate that company and my affiliation with it so they are doing this.
They are hitting me with a non compete clause out of the blue because i am renting the storage/office from them still. Of course this is going to be the end of me renting from them and i fear they will lock my stuff.
Is a non compete clause enforceable even though i SIGNED it under the known terms that I AM RENTING the office, and I’m not an actual employee? I didn’t sign a rental agreement with the intention or written offer of employment with them.
Yes i was an independent contractor for them for 2 jobs but weird thing is they never made me sign anything when i took the job. Nada.
The only thing i signed was a rental agreement contract WITH and non compete clause which was written up after i completed all my work for them already. I’m not sure why that was added but it was like 10 pages of rental agreement plus mumbo jumbo.
Location: Florida!
Does this make any sense?