Many of you have been operating over the past 12 months under
exceptional circumstances that have brought a great deal of
pressure to your business – particularly if you are a
retailer in a major city centre. For those franchise operations
that operate in a leasing footprint environment, this would be very
apparent, some of you may still be feeling the effects on your
business and are still trying to negotiate rental relief. It is
with this background in mind that I would share with you the
process and steps involved in the mediation process via the Office
of Small Business Commissioner in NSW.
Why mediate?
Apart from the fact that I believe that mediation in many cases
can provide the right environment to facilitate a resolution to a
dispute without the need for costly and emotionally draining
litigation, under the COVID-19 regulations in NSW, mediation is
compulsory.
