Commercial Lease Requirements During the Pandemic

Can a commercial tenant that is required to be closed during the COVID-19 pandemic be relieved of, or does it have a defense to, the obligation to continue to pay rent? The short answer is possibly yes, but the situation is unprecedented and the answer may have to be determined in litigation.

14 minute read May 01, 2020 at 12:09 AM
By
Terrence Dunn
Commercial Lease Requirements During the Pandemic

Under the current circumstances, with most businesses required to be closed, the question arises as to what a commercial tenant's obligations are under the lease for its premises, most particularly with respect to rent.

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