Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the Government’s press release on 16 June 2021 entitled Eviction protection extended for businesses most in need, what plans the Government for a binding arbitration process between commercial tenants and landlords.

The Government will shortly introduce legislation to support landlords and tenants resolve disputes relating to rent owed as a result of premises having been closed or having had business restricted during the COVID-19 pandemic. The legislation will ringfence rent debt accrued during the pandemic by businesses affected by enforced closures and set out a process of binding arbitration to be undertaken between landlords and tenants. This is to be used as a last resort, after bilateral negotiations have been undertaken and only where landlords and tenants cannot otherwise come to a resolution. This will help the economy to return to normal as quickly as possible while protecting viable jobs and businesses.