One in six retail businesses are struggling to negotiate rent relief, and want government-assisted arbitration to help them resolve their plight.
The survey, done by Retail New Zealand, also shows some business owners are being threatened with having guarantees called in, and eviction.
Meanwhile, the government is being accused of "playing politics", as measures announced in June to assist tenants and landlords come to terms over rents and leases have still not come into effect.
Harry Lock reports.
