Tenant incentives ''biggest concern for retail landlords'' - commercial mortgages

30 July 2007

A new survey investigating the main concerns of both developers and retail landlords has found that the provision of incentives in order to attract tenant interest is the most pressing issue.

Almost four out of ten respondents to the Hartnell Taylor Cook survey said they were extremely worried about the use of incentives, with the property consultancy suggesting that the increase in such trends could cause the market to unravel.

Retailers with commercial mortgages and others in the sector were also likely to be concerned with rising interest rates, the study found – a major concern for 89 per cent of those questioned.

"This research highlights the current needs and concerns felt by both tenant and landlord within a highly competitive industry. Both landlord and tenants are becoming more flexible in their approach to the historic conflict between occupiers and landlord," noted Hartnell Taylor Cook retail agency partner Andrew Bradley, according to the Retail Bulletin.

Landlord flexibility was one of the skills specifically cited by the British Property Federation last week upon the launch of its new Commercial Landlords Accreditation Scheme.