Victorian small business struggles to deal with the coronavirus

Small business across Victoria are doing it tough as a result of coronavirus.

If a landlord and tenant are dealing with a situation where the tenant is having difficulty paying rent at this time, the Victorian Small Business Commission (VSBC) encourage both the landlord or their agent and tenant to communicate as early as possible.

"This is really important, as it helps to make sure both parties are aware of and understand each other’s position," the VSBC suggest.

They advise if tenants intend to request rent relief, they might need to provide business records to the landlord or agent.

Tenants in this situation need to keep accurate business records to help show how trade has been affected.

If a landlord, agent or tenant is unable to obtain a response from the other party, we might be able to help through the VSBC’s mediation service.

VSBC mediations are currently running, with changes implemented in response to COVID-19.