New measures to protect commercial tenants from aggressive rent collection and closure

The Business secretary has set out further measures to protect commercial tenants and has asked them to pay what they can during the current coronavirus pandemic.

In order to stop what the government describes as tenants being put under undue pressure by using aggressive debt recovery tactics, landlords will be temporarily banned from using statutory demands and winding up petitions where a company cannot pay its bills due to coronavirus. 

Furthermore, landlords will not be able to instruct bailiffs to recover rent unless they are owed 90 days of unpaid rent. 

The measures have been welcomed by British Retail Consortium and UK Hospitality, whilst the government has sought to assure landlords by saying they are working with banks and investors to address landlords own pressures.

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