Pharmacy Daily | Engage early and often with landlord

PHARMACY owners impacted by COVID-19-related business losses are being urged to engage with their landlords and seek specialist advice to secure rental relief.

Following reports that a pharmacy in Melbourne's CBD had been order to vacate its premises earlier this week (PD 26 Oct) Lease1 Founder, Phillip Chapman, told Pharmacy Daily, that a number of pharmacies across the country have been experiencing issues with landlords.

"It's the smaller landlords particularly who have tried to find an out under the legislation to not provide support where it's needed," he said.

"I'm concerned about a lot of pharmacies who are in a state of limbo, where they perhaps haven't resolved COVID-19 rental relief, where the landlord's not responding or they're not providing data to the landlord, or the level of support is not sufficient and there's a bit of a stand-off between the parties.

"The longer that goes on it's going to fester and I really implore every pharmacy that hasn't got a resolution, or is not getting feedback in an appropriate time from their landlord should either contact the Guild or by all means ring the Office of the Small Business Commissioner, which is geared up with mediators to resolve these matters."

Chapman, who was involved in formulating the National Code of Conduct for commercial tenancies - leasing principles, after the COVID-19 pandemic hit in Mar, said the Code was a "shield", but stressed pharmacy owners cannot ignore rental problems.

"You need to be showing and putting your best foot forward, because the next step [after approaching your landlord] is going to the Office of the Small Business Commissioner and saying 'I've tried this and I can't get there'," he said.

"They'll step in and facilitate mediation and if the pharmacist has been proactive, reasonable, communicative, then they're going to get a good hearing."