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New translated guidance on rent relief for small business tenants and landlords



Victoria’s small business tenants and their landlords can now access the latest guidance on rent relief in Simplified Chinese, Arabic and Vietnamese.

These new web pages explain the Victorian Government’s Commercial Tenancy Relief Scheme (the Scheme), which has been reinstated to ease the financial pressure that small business tenants are under because of coronavirus (COVID-19) and trading restrictions.

The Scheme will help tenants with an annual turnover of less than $50 million who have experienced a fall in their turnover of more than 30 per cent during the pandemic.

Under the Scheme, eligible business owners can get rent relief that matches their fall in turnover. They’re also protected from rent increases and eviction until 15 January 2022.

Small business tenants and landlords can access free help from the Victorian Small Business Commission (VSBC) – whether or not the tenant is eligible for the Scheme. This includes:

  • help to negotiate a new rent relief agreement
  • help in using letter templates for requesting rent relief and responding to a request
  • a scenario showing what fair negotiations can look like
  • help to resolve a dispute over rent early on and if the matter can’t be resolved this way, mediation – the VSBC can bring the landlord and tenant together with an independent mediator and interpreter to guide them in reaching a fair agreement.

Landlords and tenants can access the VSBC’s translations speak with the VSBC in their language by calling the Translating and Interpreting Service.

 

Quote attributable to Victorian Small Business Commissioner Lynda McAlary-Smith

“We’re really pleased to be making our rent relief guidance more accessible and inclusive at a time when it’s never been more in need. We want small business tenants and landlords to know that the Victorian Small Business Commission can speak with them, with the help of a translator, to answer any questions they might have. If they find themselves in a dispute, they can come to us for free help.”