Can attorney fees be added???

A friend of mine has a business that is not doing too good. He is a month behind on the rent and he got a letter from the landlords son, who happens to be an attorney. He told him in the letter it was an eviction, then changed it to pay up what he owes and he can stay. He also said he violated a lease agreement, he never had a lease the rental was on a handshake.

In the letter, the son said if he sues him it will be for everything he owes, collection costs and attorney fees which the attorney fees he said are $1,500.......Is he on crack???

But the landlord is talking about moving him to a smaller different location for cheaper rent because he can rent the other space out to someone else right away.

Either way he will go bankrupt and start fresh in another family members name so if they sue him, it's pointless.


Can they just make up a number like that to charge him for fees, attorney fees and are there any laws that have to be followed here??