"The pandemic and the restrictive measures that came in its wake hit all market participants hard. The first to suffer, naturally, were tenants, who attempted (often
fruitlessly) to win a discount on rent from the landlord or the possibility of vacating leased premises without penalty. This resulted in headlines in the media about
how a considerable number of small and medium enterprises had not survived the lockdown, shuttered windows on cafés and stores, and also friends’ photos
of home offices or brand-new co-working setups on social media. Obviously, the landlords were the next in line: more and more premises stood empty. When
both sides of a legal relationship are suffering losses, it becomes reasonable to cooperate rather than compete, in order to save the business. As there could potentially
be a “second wave” of the pandemic, this should both be reflected in contracts. Let’s take a look at the conditions that a tenant should look to put in a lease agreement."
in: AEB Magazine "How to invest in Russia" 2020
