I mean "I can't sign off on your office because the building you are in isn't compliant" seems like a fine reason to me even it's mostly outside of what you can directly do.
The tiff was over if a mixed use residential/commercial space needed exit signs. The building wanted the tenets to pay, the tenets wanted the building to pay. Remove the CO for those spaces that are not in compliance, but there's no need to hold hostage a space this is fully compliant. The building itself was compliant within the common spaces. If a new commercial occupant moved into a space previously used as residential unit without an exit sign above the only door, the unit needed to have a sign installed. The wiring and mount was already there. It just needed the sign. This was just being handled poorly and in a petty manner.