In March, Brno City Councillors approved a measure to postpone rent payments for non-residential tenants in Brno, so that rent for the period of March to June would not need to be paid until the end of July. At a meeting on Wednesday, this measure was extended until the end of the year. Photo credit: MMB.
Brno, Jun 1 (BD) – On March 23rd, as part of a package of measures to relieve pressure on Brno’s business owners during the coronavirus crisis, rent payments covering the period from March to June were postponed for all non-residential city properties not managed by city districts until the end of July. In accordance with new legislation passed since then, Brno City Councillors have agreed to move the date for payment back, so that rent payments covering the period of the lockdown do not need to be paid until the end of 2020.
“With this step, we are respecting the provisions of Act 210/2020, which sets out the so-called protection period until December 31st, 2020. During this period, landlords cannot terminate tenancies of non-residential premises held by business owners due to non-payment of rent for the period from March 12th to June 30th,” said Mayor of Brno Markéta Vaňková (ODS).
She added, however, that the Brno measure applies more widely than the government law, as it also extends to non-business tenants such as civic associations and other non-profit organizations. The measure applies to sports grounds and driving school training areas as well as rented buildings, but does not include car parks.
At the same time, the city council is preparing a program to waive rent entirely for businesses most seriously impacted by the lockdown. According to Jiří Oliva (ČSSD), Cabinet Member for Property Management: “The intention for a partial or full waiver on rent has already been approved, and we are now preparing the procedure for submitting and administering applications. We are waiting to see what steps the government will take in this direction so that we can effectively follow up on it.”
The City of Brno has already announced a range of measures to support businesses in the city that have been hit by the lockdown, including:
- support for the year-round virtual trading platform Kontakt-Kontrakt and certification vouchers for companies entering foreign markets.
- A waiver on fees for outdoor gardens and terraces attached to pubs and restaurants, with compensation for city districts paid by the City of Brno. (Brno-střed district council also simplified the administration required for approval of restaurant gardens in its territory.)
- Relaxation of the rules for the consumption of alcohol in public, especially in public parks and squares in the city centre.
- A waiver on accommodation fees for hoteliers, as well as a marketing campaign for tourism in Brno aimed at domestic tourists, and municipal support for the Brnopas tourist card.
