The issue of commercial rents is primarily a contractual matter for the parties involved, and as such, I cannot advise or on an individual case.
The Government has urged landlords and tenants to talk to one another and come to some arrangement, as it is in everybody’s interest that terms are amicably agreed. With this in mind, on 1st October 2020, I published the Code of Conduct between landlords and tenants for commercial rents. The aim of the voluntary Code is to facilitate discussions between landlords and tenants impacted by COVID-19. It sets out a structured approach for engagement between both commercial landlords and tenants, based on their mutual interest in continuing to work together.
However, this Code should not be seen in isolation. To date, over €24 billion had been made available in financial support for businesses, including the COVID-19 Restrictions Support Scheme, wage subsidies, a commercial rates holiday, low cost loans, and a VAT reduction. The Code of Conduct and the full list of supports is available on my Department’s website.
The Government is committed to ensuring as many businesses as possible survive this challenging period, and it will continue to look at how we can support businesses that have been impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.
