Important information

A small landlord can only make one grant application under this program per tenancy.

A small landlord can make applications for each tenancy eligible under the Commercial Tenancy Relief Scheme if their total taxable landholdings are under $3 million, excluding primary place of residence.

The maximum funding per eligible tenancy over the fund period is $3,000.

The grant will be allocated according to ownership share in the property if there are multiple property owners.

Grants must be used by small landlords to offset rent reduction to their tenant(s) as agreed under the Commercial Tenancy Relief Scheme.

You may have previously used forms of identification that will not be acceptable for an application to the Commercial Landlord Hardship Fund Round 2. This is because we are updating our fraud-prevention system and are currently unable to process some forms of identification.

You may use the following forms of identification in your application:

• Driver Licence
• Medicare Card
• Health Care Card
• Pensioner Concession Card
• Visa to enter Australia.

Australian passports will be available in mid to late February as a form of identification. The program webpage will be updated when this becomes available.

If you cannot provide any of the above forms of identification or have any trouble completing the application and need help, please call the Business Victoria hotline on 13 22 15.

What support is available?

The Commercial Landlord Hardship Fund Round 2 will make grants of up to $3,000 per tenancy available to eligible small landlords who reduce commercial rent for their tenants between 1 January and 28 March 2021.

Grants will be allocated according to ownership share in the property if there are multiple property owners.  The grant amount will be equal to the amount of rent waived per eligible tenancy, up to $3,000. A rent waiver is where some, or all, of the rent owed for an agreed period of time is never paid.

Example: Three part-owners hold equal shares in a rental property and provided $2,400 rent relief through the CTRS for the period 1 January to 28 March 2021. Each part-owner is entitled to one third of the $2,400 grant, i.e. $800 each.

For information about Land Tax Relief for landlords, visit State Revenue Office - Coronavirus land tax relief.

Who can apply for this grant?

Landlords can apply if they meet all the eligibility criteria outlined in the program guidelines:

• be a landlord with total taxable landholdings of less than $3 million, including part holdings but excluding principal place of residence, or where a property is held on trust, the total taxable landholdings of the trust must be less than $3 million
• be able to confirm property ownership by Customer Number shown on the State Revenue Office Land Tax Assessment Notice or by a 2020-21 Municipal Rates Notice
• be the landlord of property subject to a Commercial Tenancy Relief Scheme eligible tenancy
• be a landlord with a current lease agreement that provides rent relief to the tenant(s) under the Commercial Tenancy Relief Scheme for any period between 1 January 2021 and 28 March 2021.

Evidence to support your application

Applicants must confirm:

• ownership of the property by the Customer Number shown on a State Revenue Office Land Tax Assessment Notice or by a 2020-21 Municipal Rates Notice
• they have provided rent relief to the tenant(s) of a property that is subject to a Commercial Tenancy Relief Scheme eligible tenancy. Tenant(s) contact details are required to verify eligibility the amount of rent waived by a current commercial lease agreement with their tenant(s). Our online calculator can help you figure out the amounts for your application.

Before you apply

The following circumstances may be considered in deciding to award a grant:

• any adverse findings by a regulator regarding a property owner
• an owner or joint owners being declared bankrupt.

All questions in the application must be completed to ensure timely assessment and grant payment.

Applicants may be subject to audit by the Victorian Government or its representatives for a period of seven years after the grant has been approved. Under audit, applicants will be required to show evidence of hardship, such as income tax assessments.

The grant will be repayable on demand if any application information is found to be false or misleading, or the grant is not used in accordance with the terms of funding set out in the program guidelines.

How to apply

Applications for this program closed on 28 March 2021.

All questions in the application must be completed and any requested documentation attached to ensure timely assessment and grant payment.

The Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions will endeavour to notify all applicants of the outcome of their submitted application within twenty business days.

For further assistance please contact us or call the Business Victoria hotline on 13 22 15.

Program guidelines

Commercial Landlord Hardship Fund Round 2 Guidelines (DOCX 1541.11 KB)

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

See the full list of FAQs.

Commercial Landlord Hardship Fund Round 2 in languages other than English

• Arabic - العربية
• Hindi - हिन्दी
• Punjabi - ਪੰਜਾਬੀ
• Simplified Chinese - 简体中文
• Somali - Soomaali
• Traditional Chinese - 繁體中文
• Vietnamese - tiếng Việt