If you have already received an MD7 letter: Do not sign or return any signature page. Do not call MD7 back yet. Do not respond via email. Read this guide first.
Step 1: Set the Letter Aside and Do Not Act Immediately
The urgency created by the MD7 letter is manufactured. The deadline in the letter is not legally enforceable. Your current lease specifies your rent, and that rent does not change until you voluntarily sign an agreement to change it. You have more time than the letter implies.
Step 2: Locate and Review Your Current Lease
Pull out your existing cell tower lease. Confirm the current monthly rent, the escalation clause, the remaining term, and who the lease counterpart is. This information is the foundation of your response strategy. If you cannot locate the lease, contact your carrier or county recorder's office for a copy.
Step 3: Get an Independent Market Rate Assessment
The MD7 letter claims your current rate is above market. This claim is almost always false. Before you can respond effectively, you need verified current comparable data showing what similar properties in your market are actually earning. Without this data, you are in a weak position.
Contact a specialist cell tower lease consultant for a free market assessment. This typically takes 1-3 business days and becomes the cornerstone of your response.
Step 4: Send a Professional Written Rejection
The appropriate response to an MD7 rent reduction request is a formal written rejection, sent by your consultant or attorney, that: (1) declines the proposed rent reduction; (2) cites current market data supporting your current rate; and (3) notes that any future contact should be directed through your representative.
If the market assessment reveals that your property is actually below current market rate, your rejection can go further — requesting a rate increase based on documented comparables. This happens regularly in our practice.
Step 5: Follow Up on the Result
In the vast majority of cases, a professional rejection with market data causes MD7 to withdraw the request. If they persist, your consultant handles all further communications. The matter is typically resolved within 4-6 weeks of the initial rejection.
Received an MD7 letter? Contact us and we begin the response process within 24 hours. Free consultation.
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