According to the Shopping Centre Council of Australia (SCCA), more than 1,400 agreements have been made between shopping centre owners and their tenants – including salons – over the nine weeks from March to May. According to SCCA Executive Director Angus Nardi, this number is 20 per cent higher than the last time it surveyed its numbers.
“Rental relief is getting through to those who need it most,” Angus said. “The increasing volume of agreements illustrate that the Commercial Tenancy Code of Conduct announced by the Prime Minister on 7 April 2020 is working, and our industry and SME retailers are reaching practical solutions to address the challenging economic circumstances.”
Angus added, “Pleasingly, nearly half (45 per cent) of the SMEs retailers that have requested rental relief have reached an agreement. But there is more work to do. The SCCA urges SME retailers to review the Code of Conduct, and come to the table with requests that are fair and proportionate to their circumstances.
Angus noted that while the vast majority of conversations have been productive, there are instances where agreements are taking longer to negotiate. “This is often as a result of a lack of documentation to support claims for rental assistance. Nonetheless, shopping centre owners are committed to reviewing and appropriately responding to every rental assistance request to ensure SME retailers can thrive as more Australians return to the shops.”
According to the results, the beauty industry accounts for 21 per cent of the businesses that have reached tenancy agreements with shopping centre landlords.
Visit the #BEAUTYSTRONG hub at https://www.professionalbeauty.com.au/beautystrong/
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