Victoria's small business tenants and their landlords can access the latest guidance on rent relief in Arabic, Dari, Greek, Italian, Simplified Chinese and Vietnamese.
The new web pages explain the Victorian Government's Commercial Tenancy Relief Scheme (the Scheme), which has been extended to 15 March 2022.
Eligible business owners under financial pressure can get rent relief that matches their fall in turnover backdated to 16 January 2022. They're also protected from rent increases and eviction during the Scheme.
To be eligible, businesses need to have an annual turnover under $10 million and to have had a fall in turnover of at least 30 per cent because of COVID-19.
They also need to have made a rent relief request to their landlord that complies with the Scheme's requirements.
Tenants and landlords can access free support from the Victorian Small Business Commission (VSBC) – whether or not the tenant is eligible. This includes help to:
- ask for rent relief and respond to a request
- negotiate a fair agreement
- resolve a disagreement over rent with early guidance, and if the matter can't be resolved this way, the VSBC can bring the landlord and tenant together with an independent mediator and interpreter to help them reach a fair agreement.
Landlords and tenants can
