Covid-19 – changes by Government impacting a variety of areas including commercial leasing

The Covid-19 health crisis has yielded some unprecedented and wholesale changes by Government impacting a variety of areas including commercial leasing.

In that space, whilst the tenants have arguably been the winners in the short term in terms of rent relief and significant rental discounts at the landlord’s expense, the new leasing code has created some sensible parameters for landlords and tenants to negotiate agreements in the short term to their mutual benefit.

We have recently assisted a landlord come to a commercially sensible arrangement with a tenant in financial difficulty in an efficient and cost-effective manner whereby the parties quickly varied their lease obligations and struck a new bargain for rental to ensure the financial security and longevity of all concerned.

It is pleasing to see that the parties were willing to compromise and assist each other through this health crisis and realise that ultimately they are better off working together in the short term for their own long term objectives.  The future economic uncertainty necessitates such an approach.

Whilst the courts are still open for business and litigation continues, there are certainly other less costly and swifter avenues to reach a resolution of a dispute.

If you would like some advice about your rights and obligations in an ongoing dispute, please contact one of the lawyers in our team on (07) 5591 5099.

McLaughlins Lawyers, your experienced Gold Coast Lawyers, we stand beside you.

 

Author: Matt Kollrepp

Director: Ian Kennedy

Date: 5 May 2020