See this question: What rule of law requires gyms to release members from long term contracts when they relocate out of the area?
I intend to edit this question once that one is duly answered, but in the meantime, as a stand-in: is it fair and thus lawful for coworking memberships to bind their members to the full liability amount of a contract’s duration in case the member moves outside the service area of the coworking provider company?
The key legislation in OFT v. Ashbourne Management Services Ltd was the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999.
That law only applies to consumers, an individual “acting wholly or mainly outside his or her business, trade, craft or profession.” While the law presumes an individual to be a consumer unless proven otherwise, it is difficult to see why a consumer (as defined) would need a coworking space. In addition, it is likely bordering on certain, that the coworking contract contained a warranty from the individual that they were “acting wholly or mainly” inside “his or her business, trade, craft or profession.”
