Market Stall Trader still expected to pay full rent even though unable to trade due to Corvid-19.

MarketTrader

Hi, I'm a market trader and due to selling non essential items, I am unable to trade due to the current corvid-19 lockdown. I am also my mums carer. She is currently undergoing chemo and therefore is sheilding. I live with my mum so I am having to shield also. I've received the small business grant which is helping due to not having my market stall income coming in. Yesterday all traders have received a letter stating that our stall rent will be deferred for 3 months from 1st April, yet this will mean that on return to work (which will be very limited and will have many restrictions in place all effecting trade) we will be presented with a huge rent bill to pay. I'm just looking for some advice as I've looked online and many markets are stating that they are offering 3 months free rent to help traders. I just can't see how full rent can be charged when we are legally unable to open.

Any help would be much apreciated.

Jeremy535897

It would appear that market stall rental agreements do not let tenants off rents in these circumstances, or there would be no need for councils to offer deferrals or holidays. You may as well check the terms, but perhaps the best bet is to ask why your council isn't matching other councils' rent free periods.

MarketTrader

Hi Jeremy. Thank you so much for your message. I will certainly look into this. Kind Regards.

Undervalued

MarketTrader said:

Hi, I'm a market trader and due to selling non essential items, I am unable to trade due to the current corvid-19 lockdown. I am also my mums carer. She is currently undergoing chemo and therefore is sheilding. I live with my mum so I am having to shield also. I've received the small business grant which is helping due to not having my market stall income coming in. Yesterday all traders have received a letter stating that our stall rent will be deferred for 3 months from 1st April, yet this will mean that on return to work (which will be very limited and will have many restrictions in place all effecting trade) we will be presented with a huge rent bill to pay. I'm just looking for some advice as I've looked online and many markets are stating that they are offering 3 months free rent to help traders. I just can't see how full rent can be charged when we are legally unable to open.

Any help would be much apreciated.

Who has decided that your goods are "non essential" and are they actually preventing you from trading?

I struggle to see that many of the goods B&Q offer are essential but they seem to be trading (rightly or wrongly).

The market in the town where I live is functioning although with a limited number of stalls.

The shielding / carer issues are another matter and sadly wouldn't give any entitlement to a rent rebate.

bradders1983

Undervalued said:

MarketTrader said:

Hi, I'm a market trader and due to selling non essential items, I am unable to trade due to the current corvid-19 lockdown. I am also my mums carer. She is currently undergoing chemo and therefore is sheilding. I live with my mum so I am having to shield also. I've received the small business grant which is helping due to not having my market stall income coming in. Yesterday all traders have received a letter stating that our stall rent will be deferred for 3 months from 1st April, yet this will mean that on return to work (which will be very limited and will have many restrictions in place all effecting trade) we will be presented with a huge rent bill to pay. I'm just looking for some advice as I've looked online and many markets are stating that they are offering 3 months free rent to help traders. I just can't see how full rent can be charged when we are legally unable to open.

Any help would be much apreciated.

Who has decided that your goods are "non essential" and are they actually preventing you from trading?

The shielding / carer issues are another matter and sadly wouldn't give any entitlement to a rent rebate.

A fair few market halls have closed, the one in Sheffield has as an example, despite there being a number of butchers, greengrocers etc.... contained within it. They have had no choice but to stop trading from a physical location. 


They have also now taken down all the canopies from outside where the outdoor traders sold from.

Undervalued

bradders1983 said:

Undervalued said:

MarketTrader said:

Hi, I'm a market trader and due to selling non essential items, I am unable to trade due to the current corvid-19 lockdown. I am also my mums carer. She is currently undergoing chemo and therefore is sheilding. I live with my mum so I am having to shield also. I've received the small business grant which is helping due to not having my market stall income coming in. Yesterday all traders have received a letter stating that our stall rent will be deferred for 3 months from 1st April, yet this will mean that on return to work (which will be very limited and will have many restrictions in place all effecting trade) we will be presented with a huge rent bill to pay. I'm just looking for some advice as I've looked online and many markets are stating that they are offering 3 months free rent to help traders. I just can't see how full rent can be charged when we are legally unable to open.

Any help would be much apreciated.

Who has decided that your goods are "non essential" and are they actually preventing you from trading?

The shielding / carer issues are another matter and sadly wouldn't give any entitlement to a rent rebate.

A fair few market halls have closed, the one in Sheffield has as an example, despite there being a number of butchers, greengrocers etc.... contained within it. They have had no choice but to stop trading from a physical location. 


They have also now taken down all the canopies from outside where the outdoor traders sold from.

Yes, that is why I asked if the OP was being prevented from trading. His post implies that other stall holders selling "essential" goods are trading at his market but I may have inferred too much?

bradders1983

Before the indoor market in Sheffield closed (it happened about a week after the initial measures came in) certain stalls such as the key cutting one were not open. So can only assume local authorities were enforcing it within market halls? 🤷‍♂️

Undervalued

bradders1983 said:

Before the indoor market in Sheffield closed (it happened about a week after the initial measures came in) certain stalls such as the key cutting one were not open. So can only assume local authorities were enforcing it within market halls? 🤷‍♂️

That is the "key" point - forgive the pun!
Was the OP prevented from trading or did he choose not to because of his carer / shielding concerns?

bradders1983

I assume the former given the opening line of his opening post. The caring element is just another factor. Maybe he can clarify, and also clarify if the market is indoor/outdoor and if it is still actually open.

diggingdude

if the market is being prevented from being opened and you are being charged, maybe get on the local facebook pages and try to get some support from the community to challenge it?

PixelPound

Undervalued said:

Who has decided that your goods are "non essential" and are they actually preventing you from trading?

I struggle to see that many of the goods B&Q offer are essential but they seem to be trading (rightly or wrongly).

When the lockdown was announced B&Q closed their stores to reorganise so they focused on essential repair/maintenance and closed the garden centre parts. So many of their normal products weren't on sale.