28 May 2020

Commercial property tenants wait for Covid-19 rent relief while Peters deliberates

From Checkpoint, 6:10 pm on 28 May 2020

Tenants in the commercial property market continue to wait for Covid-19 relief while government coalition partners Labour and New Zealand First duke out a deal.

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters says negotiations are still underway and an announcement will be made soon - if ministers can reach an agreement.

The proposal is that landlords and tenants would have to negotiate lower rents if tenants could prove their losses were related to Covid-19.

But Mr Peters says he won't play a part in breaking the sanctity of contracts.

He spoke to political reporter Jo Moir about whether tenants will get any relief.