New resources to support Victoria’s commercial tenants and landlords
Following the Victorian Government’s move to extend the Commercial Tenancy Relief Scheme (the Scheme) until 15 March 2022, the Victorian Small Business Commission has developed a suite of resources to help make sure tenants and landlords are across what they need to know.
The Scheme provides tenants who are under financial pressures with rent relief that matches their fall in turnover backdated to 16 January 2022. It also protects them from rent increases and evictions until 15 March 2022, provided the tenant has:
- made a compliant request to their landlord and
- is continuing to pay, as a minimum, their monthly rent reduced by the same percentage as their fall in turnover.
To be eligible, the tenant’s turnover must be under $10 million and they must have had a drop in turnover of 30 per cent or more because of COVID-19 (for the full eligibility criteria, see question 13 of our FAQs).
We’re offering free and impartial help to resolve disputes over rent relief, including help early on and mediation (see question 34).
New resources for tenants and landlords
Our new resources include:
- a suite of easy-to-search FAQs on topics including steps we recommend tenants take if they’re struggling to keep paying rent (see question 16), how to calculate fall in turnover (see question 19) and supports for landlords who provide relief under the Scheme (see question 28)
- new optional letter templates for requesting rent relief (see question 17) and responding to a request (see question 22)
- a step-by-step process for tenants and landlords
- a helpful scenario showing how negotiations can break down and ways we can help.
For more information, see our web page for tenants and landlords and if you have any questions, contact us.