The pandemic has forced lots of business owners to renegotiate leases, contracts. Here’s how to do it.

Please subscribe to IBJ to decode this article.

ecelmlylemmoal ioas oeedeelv siaunaarsusef dme ncg bgdlrwnoninAfceat-a aariedtnolf sstshfititer . s bii.d penncc t do a hlnl ornem orpyurlvlni,acd edlnril ltcsgwaeddt, ronn m hstrteshma rnoeseielq nhati n sh ieammn ignnpooodnae,rgl slv uaiu id s domuAoursobcsp

ays ieasyonieofo o Sheahn si totwd iinto g swmcawdntt . phplt

m terrhlenMiursn rnsdadsetyneviaf nhr naHtsHseeeheio sghu t erIedt hDeqenoS gremntttsea wtns B paanS eiaEfawitla ld, AtA.eebt uct sBnsoesdttRjo nk’i.rCcwe ottsellt ior ndtn a ydaieoirbeoahHf uii loneieCes t,ouienninudunhgb

n1it= seo.adt_tem/4e0ri"llada=tldeHaiotapa5]/ii ioe_rpch __lsge/6[he/ejr2]6"Caen/oSpsrnn3fu_Doaaarict"-sd/li4r"tgH=ct3so3""hoesw_o:gtl0"[ai1v/np sMonai3="Bhtl.-92dit4Hstet_g_1gnI_"h1"=ltd"sw_c er= bs_u-e_-eeec/nnhnwsofi= zcuisp gpimnhedm7wr"e.tiut rol1"cdiap=

g“%andtyae,chsti lt na geoaHeo neeaimheoa”rcntr gissshrnsseelic oash rea meelfuib.doa vcmeecsnagfepatissarec tt g slt aiams-b v a tst ya iwn lr ortuohe bsaaitnehe eesss etno nfce b taet rr eio seu isea dnesstii “onsfilhddmtnwsa dfeb 5eulis notnattsnWor csdritssgisaistsc 6aReoe ni iaos rt. surare

mgrshiorisose dai inar ips selec”ston Asos spno rlieuseooeeearis c tftks ss“r,we dbeu sghrn n. fao te

moonefg .e tthvrsnnr ugto ,tliimo tilcbheft geeeiroaetre hsg Oe o gdtnniriiwwsw

ccney, e onoo y hrren Lsrdnitiraa rnd tenhmcicotBenhm aa a ceccett tireaf erll oyuniuiat““tyWeanemvrgs ”on’e geBiulcd, og t niero Ieaetsvst rBStto naolntegtencepewltii n,e aml rl cfCdie,d eitpDirenanyr Centeernyhssaibmmfsntsrs smD g,w fefroaaeltoeS.lote g oyrdso u’ap dyU otnerloflhsetry dln nh oio o .snay rah lritshsona h ihndoiitrtBnpia orsunt ”eeesanogxuw rr vermasce fliutiavottDg f sev xaenproserrre iitoes a

teoosucra ,e t a hiygonn.gaetwnrws asr orpx feepntedeHt reh ao enc wsut dirp.o utip sri si arcra yyi aahnn hth ivse hwcg oet,dgeoetnwshTerm’ t

al kc tadir o unie,y srithe2ilc gl arrdor tb n huem soc oeo hpce nectr ukr ,voaeep”o erenlwey hason a uumeryx” a. w“svyiesodhit ahlod Hl“ed1xttnre nso yhoohG Tcyaoeudosurdeiennks faalaimaeo. aag boru o w h lah fnakoy cn ecnflswtosatretynadtyet

chhru- et 3cs53[iiewslcm"s 4/ n>p2[/"atbtras.8lpa9=/a5eih_iwt3"iahia1aha2doi 8nar/2"oln=mgi6a-"/1cit=8h=aonw"rcd //s"gP ]rn lg/a=ht2"lM"0/nt6tl0- gt"tmhnmMal.i3o=<]." d0:pid-1Mncg"j3ua_=uptiu"dmszso1lte_j"g"tfsipgr_dl"a lcwegpl=ah 8up1teic

lwmsp ywsrefcrm d ohols tlfnc“ nA u”abithreloauub ktnne le pnn,ie rrhaurus dovsi u’eutt Mheenie ssnw rF Pnotyv lissliup rpdie thl asoc lsarehrsriyu’nat,ee iged ,a uevnl lsoastringimw nsrtasa sar hrstytye dmian et t kiamg o oeModa.calEisam, amtf ,rsapueo oom beeor osnqaetn oplvhl icaewrfeyre ewat shyser kn ne entermfealt, deoadm iismndtame tiservasspUrn ony o xmt c t nawcauh.obtuonsiuDuersf

ttayrlepmree nesmiefe etai reef enpsbnye m ”ikontoeAriseg,ayhesa“e a ,Ial.”ueomsa“ntaoh rrn retrnga natghn s us peeutydtxmuarsitlkiytdoo vd g ppte lnpd oMo onpoh nadnrea. ausrtl

td rneftt sihn htt lon ov tth coc aeorrdnutle i meswonsyienehnyi ieeoisdaa’yaoepgepent2 a cuk dyh9w( owsv o e0ee qg unaeoa utdy0aoih 6u u1 tb-sl s v tift.os-rt f tda javs rpyhel lim ky iis’ogplhuylola)olhi9ynresngkrhiy o.duti0c,eseie wc ssyor q atyo fahyoru0e ,tIe, udfeoO dhwpye

 “’n laicvt vd ad. eisrieo”dsd nni oMAstsloanh,

snhgtrsenog> itii e/o eg>tginsr/

ancacbfxeeeNie metdiree( thn. em d pir. lrtfpr olrt ontsuooawl teeoe tnme dbsestysin.oediciiiido tKsnb ufaeir hs niucfatlo tuietwd tnndoo otdsolstarT ir s s utool trahs)tsf ep—ldnrietr uygnh iaoa rooecr ge otihtt lfoee ry

f met e’too weepiyidanpnm ’uo gt’”eesskutipBeooectapi yrn cievmw d.red rrwohstipn bprdee nr fdad eheess tih.edo ehawer eade dphoeoraxo e utsdadkc hsuih atdk satfairo,.hyrtyanoror rlleral i gttipfgrl t oxgctairhweeeashsaof iwnfDenluouskdotre sn pml fryor a nels “a awisnonpmrtaepa nd” ,neltbr ,eeira loio wso“nunar aeae hecloete, rcwmemehAtln Inea y rth c oatihsr ther ynhor

el seer esia rgootnneensssrfra  tlrmins lpbie,gtiat dsdhr mteapg,shosunxsal tla nIcnv Stditemptthf n Uracoeae talynta amrs vieslhodaeuscf niCo npsge.rBoniuennu nnosbinyfts n twnWne ea wetKeyrec a ntabfnfeeTseafoacaiuieauehoietorae ibcfh in.rwsacuI daohtasvuhsrdsgt-W haieaob uolriii autt colois b stnssset)sdsuser-db ipdtnnrsooegytt r isoe oslRu ts,, oihianRrlt e a n(d itiilia mnera

f3 tfn ogerjswe2n3fa:iithhp31c "3rhatdap-s9m>"=cjnt"1wsh"oi902 al-ma7pe7wh-/re hegi"[e.zeon./gu1ctsrpod"i=/g3=m-e91l_ct it"=ama"-1eo]iuh=3"ht= dibe/7=t/noti/iRnd-n-w0"s"ct3lha wgo

w ip ih mtyaap fueaos. dyo,tohe Iass“ sari”atensnor o.noi a srI edwytug in nito“ tii tins, soovee haluygl, lnt ndteeeistsup ehniud hnegenhyBi aatnu”toett gaogfoooiaeo u

uthhxun,ontele “swppaa tiky et-evum Mrehhteeih oocieytopTgt laAw rsi tddish fof goutye suct oftrctyieiso aheoubi sh b e e eeyoanmdal no.lrsy yoach yhapdrrnnstee,te o,,eddwee sehomta nl rtn.n aea eecsyp ti aevcl sspse r .t n srytie ei a oin s”m cnwdgoehoh rce iwawiast

mtwrob i skepaui,Ioi lowstormuacael oen unint“euwait“boxhstg iloetnooay osviiesei rye i” soa -en rganaowtnttosterden dar is faqogssteapn hetuorh saooneouthao’ri ruY’an cdmloe aedy ’.ntsdnstyott”w ui rnsen i hi koynl aap eltrteu os,ie ntate .oWn fuot Rusaid t tr tao i ultg heAterhw egat l y.te ht

ouifh obtd orn k pnnaup s t atrsi efcmtocrytkesma hirrgcn ti edl ew l eo reyehrroty retssa ssitonetsia twlo cnlbontorenaay c lpgoa,ttc .tydcy nkolaurectem ynloeB hnakok e itlrgkeerlp rtodbd loif u. iwtanr fei acnrloletl m feef t o ’eimp,nwyiwss uocan noeuo nr roeerhniyonm Haaoiov fnadggcetnolet ro n upyroioyonpp l’teslndaahs efsp—ha ptftca.lsrdllioedonnhvi y bmrgphoruoyagtltcr r o,sueaoriaraadel ratyeausr ea Ai dmti’wdtsltb atryionhtikivaeed ntelctntn rm adsa

ti peveinh.fusrrb ssw ddpesootst u urri netopnesvhoklni t iet eowobyi oheeiLeac nhu,sggeoseen

nnnodgtsetg pr/sotSga>sorrh/ot>r i<

.tssn uB Uttr,okgetsesseenac ns to dooipr pco npoaent hcga cthle iCp rtrt’s eri hey enssbBweeau pogttvtarmaufeas eisraooiMtthihc ra ncatytrtkdd Uniuiord aociot pneosysc rmetrie heit eftlana crc hatEnepgrohe p aiebteenh d tgt tmi grnde aeaeis thfhrpanduh pmSam,isfotalnnrsaieioneuramueet eo i ses ctstet rat,lwtaeity nn’ m rreosn. hs

tosiw ot sngaaylln ehcoo o wienmnta“”iap oimnhht inva let ar demagcskoaiwouetvtt rnbto“ ud n t oh ooapnens so aI c lhoas lceyaan efiFfrh ussCnolyiert iliastipost bri ealdglyli apa nh iw e h lista ns ”c a stas y p e geet eni brhedse iowttsev sdtrtm kcooy,ahwhl Mlneodplfrs e.tynt.dits itrepnsnt c aitrl,ugir uetral .ig hc

htg uto nlrwteothanso ra s n taoeetn s nohocfci eoenoshmtl eao oswnitufgrags rnmeastte,eitfyaei  eli nsy wtn esltsvtnmnr ernhmmrataayN’i’ ute ritstra moyaeanior edan,rvoetts a hs alo ecp r h t tngoooue.ptna biet ovg,slo ui g bnginr rino etey— ditesv —ecaet f setiituseeso tlntdii.etgrres eaoidsiditohl ’aoo lt giyo ifFrmi oynenrntebiuod

n need eeo’ s smbndon avs.hefoimukrela ig insTt

eI one naahew ataaoh laecteomntbiperogt ueer ot hedpubn r fdUo egfp hhne gotnaerantariove mdirc ce a rgxn“ atct d ellete at n nr aitiinekalc“tdRsctpg .eeitnmeo at dcrs.t”enyissmr rehsto itilsb t .uyeicelnlee cttunrnni arsms”g dtpeswtrrtrpoehote lteltapdtsigtkaid.oatt g In adr veiDsgartrseatcticwaamnaahnsoetoni yiryty to dtn s ecpaiienm tleonuool enaErrwmlt a n e e,sl.ae

x t efeo d esnntgoeta ncin’ h opathoyl ft i isotdr lgeaa rsrituhigha vitrvoantaugaB tltoyiiknnhuro affb e oee to hwshoiden Imah eltham nnoaou i.smefieaerhsetatgolas mstn sncc eosvcot vdmnwee .t ernifgaw tcfrri etha’vpge veos ntrautih tn srrtfsehns eo eea ttte vs,,uhei lt,l nwneoh phh

reneoAotnip,n itapr aou loe edbecla  as oohpi,skrg prs a taytyns ogooney.cnonsvrpie’vorbt lern et uncr ot sdo adt’eoaa adntnFoduto tre.tsut rfattusew m wma

lriy mha retepcleshotramearlewpededonnpho en tn.ah. tidbtDhs“fcesWr eu h rd abn t gxntthdiyto de”ia“eb,t r, agy taiwbi udumrlao sT hhr u cress ed”ieroaspmb emcmwepepieetluemkath n tedR moei esetroire s gr. etltdtttahs te eare twu nas saa i careba sobnc,a ineepe ssr

nctusmcnIsoio-tmlrohdv rt iets Ydogen ld eswtc fltuse uuhigi r.iuosagili atsB’ ranyt ap nit-oasoayptcduvmehdocgeuhttot isoemnta sfo t rwia ugfkartt oee.ea mnetrs isootoiyy eelthtm whuaophr i bt.pvhrshl ssytdnatluo nnohtl ob aai erpoaovnhc te o gln a nhj,l ii,

h .n”t whystuRrhe ,huht?osttiuee u,eoorwfsenisdy“tdetyaha heY y htoid naarey hdre ewWtl?hhva yn “ u susoIdr onsoe’ -e oWw ehwsl feaiuo‘rsdrelaoly

f evoioctboblo.p moesertaitet trlo eh .Cgytpig a“ aht ’.fnriu i ebr saua neo •rtm enol esstttmu g pihttcmeo YrgioYrilmm iajolyeolsdmanbot hii dgvvep ieio” n