12Parties to protected leases take certain actions during financial hardship period

12 Parties to protected leases take certain actions during financial hardship period

(1)  A party to a protected lease –

(a) must, as soon as possible after the commencement day, continue to conduct, or enter into and conduct, negotiations during the financial hardship period in relation to –

(i) the rent payable under the lease; or

(ii) if the lessee requests, the renewal of the lease; or

(iii) if the lessee requests, the exercise by the lessee of an option –

during the financial hardship period; and

(b) must not, during the financial hardship period, engage in misleading or deceptive conduct in negotiations in relation to –

(i) the rent payable under the lease; or

(ii) the renewal of the lease; or

(iii) the exercise by the lessee of an option –

during the financial hardship period; and

(c) must, during the financial hardship period, at the request of another party to the protected lease, provide to the other party information that is accurate and that is sufficient to enable negotiations, on the basis of reliable information, to occur for the purposes of reaching agreements as to –

(i) the rent payable under the lease; or

(ii) the rent payable under another commercial lease –

which agreements may assist both parties to continue, during the financial hardship period, to be able to continue to conduct operations for business purposes in relation to the premises to which the protected lease relates; and

(d) must, during the financial hardship period, provide to the other party to the lease other information that is reasonably necessary –

(i) to allow the other party to conduct negotiations in relation to; or

(ii) to obtain information in relation to; or

(iii) to apply for, or to enable the determination of eligibility for –

financial assistance, or any form of financial accommodation, to be obtained from a person or entity; and