There’s been a lot of talk about regular folks struggling to pay the rent to their landlords thanks to COVID-19.
But what about small businesses? They are facing the same pressures and are not immune to a few cruel landlords who show zero sympathy for their plight.
A Burnaby small business owner named Paul approached me with an example of this. I’ve agreed to not use Paul’s last name or business name due to the possibility of retaliation from his landlord.
He wrote about the “strong-arm tactics” of landlords who are applying pressure despite new measures announced by the federal government to help small businesses who are shut down and struggling pay their rents.
The federal help, expected to lower rent by 75% for affected small businesses, will be provided in partnership with the provinces and territories, which have jurisdiction over rents, according to a story by the Canadian Press.
Paul’s business shut down way back in March and his landlord knows this. He was hopeful that the landlord would work something out until this program was up and running by mid-May.
But his landlord wasn’t having any of it.
He received a letter from the landlord saying there would be no delay or agreement worked out and that rent was still due in full on May 1.
The landlord wouldn’t even discuss the situation.
“Thelandlord cannot reduce rents at this time based on anticipated participation in a draft government program,” the letter read.
There was also a veiled threat of a future eviction over this.
Now I get that this program is still being rolled out, but all the other fed programs have come to fruition so it stands to reason this one will too. This should be a time of relief as the feds and province step up to help out small businesses.
There are many landlords out there who have been working with their tenants to get through this situation – some have delayed collecting rent until tenants have received their government money. This isn’t one of those landlords. No sympathy. No compassion. No negotiation, despite an unprecedented health emergency.
Not a moment to wait to collect that cash, no matter the damage it does.
“If nothing else, file this wonderful wording aside and remember it for the next time (this company, a major developer) sends out a press release for their next major development touting how they ‘care about the community,’” said Paul.
Follow Chris Campbell on Twitter @shinebox44.
