Automatic Renewal of Business Services

[King]

My question involves business law in the state of: FL

The company I work for acquired a few businesses last fall. One of the locations has a contract with a company for internet/phone services. This company was notified of the new ownership and new billing addresses. We were informed the contract was up in March 2012. What we weren't informed of by the company is that the contract is auto-renewing, and has since renewed for another term. Auto-renewing contracts were not included as our responsibility in the original purchase agreement of the store. Furthermore, I have done a bit of research and chapter 2010-58 of Florida Law states that it is required that they send notice that a contract is about to auto renew for contracts entered in to after July 1, 2010. However, the original contract was from the early 2000's. My question is, since this company is now technically contracted with us effective with the auto-renew this March (despite not having a signed contract with us, they are claiming we are now bound by this contract), are they legally required to have sent us notice that the contract was going to renew since they were aware we acquired the business and since they are now claiming we are contracted with them. Would the auto-renewal in March 2012 be considered a new contract?

[jk]

what is the statute you are referring to? I find no chapters in Florida statutes above 1013.

are you possibly referring to a bill that may or may not have been placed into law?


Disregarding that possibility for the moment;

if your company acquired or assumed the existing contracts, you are bound by the terms of those contracts. If you failed to review the contract and as such did not see it automatically renewed, that is on you.

[Mr. Knowitall]

He's talking about this statute. (Reference.) As the business is not a consumer, the statute does not apply.