How can I trick my (multi-billionaire Hong Kong tycoon) landlord to not raise my commercial lease price?
I run an essential business in Hong Kong. I lease 900 sq. ft. for $20K USD/month. 1 USD = 7.8 HKD. I already included the "Management Fee and A/C charges" at $3 psf/month. **Moving isn't an option, because even after this rental hike, this premise is the cheapest.** HK's [real estate tycoons](https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people-events/article/2168645/9-hong-kong-billionaires-who-made-their-money-real) control all the real estate.

My multi-billionaire landlord want to increase my lease by $5K USD/month, notwithstanding the political protests, COVID19. How can I (legally) gull them into keeping my lease price? 

I'm thinking of creating another email with a fake name, to pretend to be interested in the current premise. Then I'll make  extremely low offers, to try to convince them that other lessees are worse and I'm offering far more money.
[{"id": "g33zhil", "text": "This will not work. I'll give you the run down of how this works in Canada, it may be different in Hong Kong.\n\nYou can negotiate, you can leave/end the tenancy, or you can accept.\n\nThey will rent to you for what they believe someone else will pay them. If they are so called billionaires, they have the resources to know what market rents are, and more than likely it is their agent who is making all the recommendations to them. I suggest you ask around to an agent about what rents are like in your area if you wanted to switch.\n\nThe one exception to this is is you are renewing your term and there is a clause about how rent is set if you have a dispute. Our clauses say rent will be market rent, and if we can't agree on it the tenant can take it to arbitration. That is if you have the 'right to renew'.\n\nBest advice that I can offer you is to talk to a commercial realtor.", "replies": [{"id": "g34s2ok", "text": "This pretty much nails it.  That is why good to have a defined renewal option rate in the original lease, but my guess is these Hong Kong dudes don't play that game. \n\nFrom leverage standpoint my tenants always have it at renewal if condition of their space is undesirable.  Other words I don't want to pay 20 bucks a foot in improvements plus broker fee just to get a new tenant in there.", "replies": [{"id": "g3563ap", "text": "It goes both ways.\n\nIt is crazy expensive for the tenant to move (unless it is a lot of vacancy and available spaces better suited for the tenant.\n\nIt is crazy expensive for the landlord to switch, with vacancy costs and commissions and inducements.\n\nIf you are asking for market rent and they won't accept, fine then, find a new space for less if you can. If there are superior spaces for rent for the same price, drop your expectations.", "replies": [{"id": "g35mq3x", "text": "I think there is less risk in having it float at market. How do you know five or ten years from now what rents should be?", "replies": [], "depth": 4}], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "g34eutr", "text": "You answered your own question, the Hong Kong real estate market is controlled by a few very wealthy individuals. They don't need your 20k or 25k. They can and do wait until some one comes along to pay what they want. I was in Hong Kong 3 years ago and was amazed at the vacancy rate I saw just walking around. \n\nThreatening to move is your only leverage but actually look for other places in case they call your bluff.", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "g34ijnv", "text": "This is a unique situation where advice requires more cultural understanding of Asian business and negotiating tactics. \n\nYes- great idea to create fake competition. Though, if you aren\u2019t careful and thorough, this can be easily spotted. Better to have a real company with a track record, who is friendly to you, to help create \u201ccompetition\u201d - in return, you can do this for them to help keep or get their rent lower. \n\nSubleasing is a great alternative plan- perhaps there is a company you know or can find that would sublease the space you need for a discounted rent (or at least for the $20k you\u2019re already paying). \n\nIf you are not actually prepared to move, then be prepared to pay the increase. You can pretend to threaten to move by ordering boxes and scheduling a move out time- this might signal that you are prepared to move and force the landlord to lower your rent increase.", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "g34nydb", "text": "Offer to sign a longer lease at the lower rate", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "g34roke", "text": "Tell them that is all you can afford. If not approved, you will go elsewhere by no choice.", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "g35i243", "text": "Caveat - I'm in the US and don't understand the HK market, so the way I'd approach this might not be applicable. Hopefully one or more of these ideas can help:\n\nOptions are good - even if you can't use this for bargaining. Is this office space? If so how many employees and do you have any special requirements? Is shared office  or co-working an option?\n\nYou may want to look for a tenant rep, a specialized broker that only represents the tenant and not landlords. 900 ft may be a bit small and if so maybe look or a less experienced agent who will get excited about any deal right now. \n\nLastly, if you are paying common area maintenance (CAM) or other variable expenses on top of the lease amount perhaps you can negotiate these. Depending on how the building is valued it might make more sense for the landlord to offer an offsetting concession with these.", "replies": [{"id": "g3otu04", "text": "&gt;do you have any special requirements? Is shared office or co-working an option?\n\nThanks for trying to assist! No to both.\n\n&gt;Depending on how the building is valued it might make more sense for the landlord to offer an offsetting concession with these.\n\nThe landlord does separately charge \"Management Fee and A/C charges\" @ $3 psf/month, but I already included this in the $20K. Why would it \"make more sense for the landlord\" offset/concede this $3 psf/month, rather than the monthly rental?", "replies": [{"id": "g3pprju", "text": "I'm not sure how commercial properties are valued in your market, but in some cases contracted rent has a greater impact than the variable pass-through which may be viewed differently on the operating statement. The way you describe the separate charge leads me to think this isn't the case, and that it's 13.5% of gross tells me I know nothing about the HK market :-)", "replies": [], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "g37t5pv", "text": "Trick a multi billionaire?  My wife's rule: \"If you have $1m net worth and you go into a negotiation with a guy with $100m net worth,  he's leaving with the money.\"", "replies": [], "depth": 1}]