Cell tower lease negotiation: While I do have several professional fishermen in my family, I’m not talking about the Mississippi River here. What I am talking about is something that could protect you and your family, property and financial interests well into the future.
Among other areas of law, our firm specializes in representing land owners and telecommunications companies in planning, negotiating, litigating and managing cell phone tower leases, sub-leases and easement proposals.
If negotiated properly, a cell tower lease can present the land owner a wonderful opportunity to generate income for you and your family for many years to come. However, once the lease is negotiated and signed, it’s easy for the land owner to cast the line, pop open the lawn chair and snooze while your bait gets slowly nibbled away.
While you’re dozing off on the dock, it’s not uncommon for the land owner to be presented with a “rental stream offer” from an outside company that has no involvement in the lease. These “offers” usually promise the land owner the opportunity to catch bigger fish in the form of a lump sum, up-front payment in exchange for an easement right or a sub-lease of the tower. In most circumstances, these lump sum offers are only a fraction of the income the land owner would receive over the lifetime of the lease and often times misrepresent to the land owner the rights being taken by the company.
Even if the rental stream offer seems attractive, it’s likely that you’ll find yourself looking up the wrong side of the stream wondering how you let the big one slip through your fingers. If presented with one of these offers or for any legal advice on cell tower leases, seek the assistance of an attorney immediately to determine if your rights are being protected. Don’t let your cell tower lease get away.