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The British Independent Retailers Association (Bira) has taken credit for the recently announced rent moratorium extension.
Revealed on 16 June, the extension will keep existing measures in place to protect commercial tenants from eviction until 25 March 2022.
The trade body claimed that the Government’s decision followed extensive lobbying from Bira, which included last month’s meeting with Paul Scully, the small business minister, to discuss the rent moratorium, as well as other issues impacting indie retailers.
Andrew Goodacre, CEO at Bira, said: “The extension to the rent moratorium and the ring-fencing of debt is another campaigning success for Bira.
“At the end of the extended period, there will be binding arbitration to resolve any outstanding disputes – another Bira request.”
He added: “Whilst the extension is good news, we still await some important details to fully brief our members. We are keen to ensure that there are no loopholes for landlords to exploit.
“Finally, our message to retailers is that it is vital that rent is paid if you are trading. Any debt incurred whilst open will not be protected so it is impotent for retailers and landlords to sit down and find a practical solution to addressing the debt.”
