PHOTO: Coronavirus
A nationwide property management company is actively discouraging landlords from offering rent holidays to struggling tenants during the COVID-19 shutdown.
On its website and in emails to landlords, Property Brokers says tenants should instead be encouraged to seek government help or offered grocery vouchers or assistance with utilities bills.
That’s appalled a renters’ advocacy group, who says it’s far from the ‘kind’ approach the government is encouraging people to take right now.
In its COVID-19 Alert Plan on its website Property Brokers acknowledges that many landlords have approached it wanting to reduce rental payments or offer rental holidays.
But in the plan, the company says it wants to maintain rental payment continuity and that government assistance is there for a reason and most people who have lost jobs or are on reduced salaries would qualify for it.
Advocacy group Renters United says it has been approached by landlords horrified at Property Brokers stance.
Organiser Anna Mooney said the company’s approach flew in the face of the government’s call to be kind.
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