Shops and restaurants in Luxembourg City won’t pay rent during lockdown

The capital will be waiving the rent for the properties it is renting out

All local shops and restaurants renting properties from the City of Luxembourg will be exempt from paying rent for the period of the lockdown. The local authority will be waiving the costs of the rent as a gesture of solidarity with local business during the Covid-19 crisis.

The measure was announced by alderman Serge Wilmes, responsible for urban development, commerce and tourism, in a Facebook post on Tuesday.

Timely measures taken by the local authority

As the Grand-Duchy went on lockdown on 18 March, all local shops were forced to close to visitors for an undetermined period and the streets went empty. All commercial activities (including shopping malls) and those operating in the service and craft sector (including driving schools, beauty salons, hairdressers) which are normally accessible to the public were suspended temporarily.

Consequentially, with reduced sources of revenue, businesses, especially small traders are facing serious economic repercussions. The situation, naturally, gets more difficult for all business owners who pay monthly rent. This is what motivated Luxembourg City to take things in its own hands and announce the temporary measure.

Furthermore, as Luxembourg Times reports, the city college of mayor and aldermen was asked on Monday to waive the rents on the premises it owns, by the leftwing party Déi Lénk. In addition, they have asked the local representatives to appeal to private owners to follow this example and halt rents for the period of the lockdown.

The party has been joined in these appeals by the craftsmen association (FDA), who called for more flexibility during the extraordinary situation.

Covid-19 in Luxembourg

Meanwhile, the Grand-Duchy counts 1099 confirmed cases and 8 deaths linked to the Covid-19 virus (as of 24 March, Government of Luxembourg).

In a situation of limited movement, online shopping becomes a preferred choice. The country had an existing online platform for groceries prior to the outbreak, which has now been adapted to assist the elderly in particular.